The National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) has announced a temporary suspension of the disposal of public records related to flood control programs and projects, citing ongoing concerns over flood control management operations nationwide.
In a statement released this week, the NAP said the measure is being implemented pursuant to Republic Act No. 9470, also known as the National Archives of the Philippines Act of 2007, to ensure that these critical records are preserved and available for future use or investigation.
Agencies are reminded that record disposal requires NAP approval, and the temporary suspension remains in effect until further notice.
“This measure is being implemented in view of current issues concerning flood control operations and shall remain in effect until further notice,” NAP said.
On September 23, the NAP formally notified Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, reiterating two key directives: first, that the DPWH must ensure vigilance against any unauthorized disposal of documents; and second, that all record disposal requests must receive prior approval from the NAP.
The decision comes amid growing public scrutiny of flood control initiatives following a series of heavy rains and urban flooding incidents across the country.
“Disposal” of records pertains to the discarding of documents that have been classified as valueless and have met their required retention period, in accordance with the law and with written permission from the NAP’s Executive Director.
This is a crucial part of records management, as it involves managing space and resources to differentiate between records with permanent historical value.
