CEBU CITY — The flooding problem in Cebu is being examined from a different angle: not simply how much rain falls, but where all that stormwater goes once it rushes downhill.
During an Aug. 11 inspection of flood-prone areas, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon visited Barangay Kinasang-an in Cebu City, Sitio Orel in Mandaue City and Villa del Rio in Barangay Bacayan. The inspection focused on drainage capacity, waterways and ongoing flood-mitigation projects following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to strengthen protection for communities vulnerable to flooding.
At Kinasang-an, residents described a familiar problem: rainwater from the upland portions of Cebu City flows toward the barangay, where it can accumulate during heavy downpours.
Dizon said one major obstacle is the narrowing of downstream waterways. According to the DPWH chief, natural and traditional waterways have been covered or constricted by structures, many of them houses, reducing the space available for floodwaters to move downstream.
The DPWH is now widening a drainage system in Kinasang-an that officials said was too narrow and prone to clogging. Authorities are also examining ways to channel water from drainage systems along the national highway toward the South Road Properties (SRP) and eventually out to sea.
Cebu flooding is not only a drainage problem
The latest inspection comes after heavy monsoon rains caused flooding in at least 11 areas of Cebu City on July 22, according to SunStar Cebu. Among the affected locations were Kinasang-an, Calamba, Tisa, Tinago, Tejero, Basak Pardo, Mambaling, Capitol Site and Lahug, as well as portions of N. Bacalso Avenue and Sanciangko Street.
Local officials interviewed by SunStar cited clogged waterways, shallow creeks, inadequate drainage and the natural topography of some communities as factors behind the flooding.
The Freeman/Banat likewise reported widespread flooding in Cebu City during the period of heavy rains and heightened monitoring associated with the southwest monsoon and Typhoon Kiyapo. Several communities and major roads were affected, with authorities deploying buses to assist stranded commuters.
The problem extends beyond Cebu City.
In Mandaue, Dizon inspected a flood-control project in Sitio Orel designed to reduce recurring flooding along A.S. Fortuna Street. The DPWH said work is also being undertaken to connect the project to the Subangdaku River and Mahiga Creek. A future drainage project in another flood-prone area of Mandaue is expected to include a pumping station and floodgate to prevent seawater from backing into the city.
The city government is also moving to strengthen its technical planning. A July 2026 procurement notice shows that Mandaue sought consultancy services for the evaluation and design of priority drainage and flood-control projects, with an approved budget of ₱3.5 million.
The Butuanon River remains a major concern
The inspection’s final stop was Villa del Rio in Barangay Bacayan, Cebu City, one of the communities heavily affected by Typhoon Tino in November 2025.
Flood-mitigation works along the Butuanon River have been identified as a key measure to help protect the subdivision and nearby communities. Earlier inspections by Dizon and Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro also focused on the Butuanon and Mananga river systems after flood-control structures were damaged by Typhoon Tino. The national government previously allotted ₱4 billion for recovery and reconstruction efforts in Cebu following disasters in 2025.
In April, Dizon said the administration was accelerating repairs and completion of a damaged revetment wall near Villa del Rio, while dredging and deepening of canals, esteros and rivers including the Butuanon and Mananga were also being pursued to reduce the risk of overflow.
Bigger flood-control plans are also on the table
Cebu’s response is not limited to drainage rehabilitation.
The Cebu Provincial Government has been pursuing a proposed ₱8-billion dam program involving major river systems including the Mananga, Bulacao, Guadalupe, Kinalumsan, Lusaran, Butuanon, Cansaga, Cotcot and Danao rivers. The projects are intended to address both flooding and water-supply concerns by storing water and reducing the speed and volume of flood flows.
Central Visayas’ regional planning body has conditionally backed the proposed dam projects, subject to compliance with project requirements and further public consultation. The proposed sites cover several of Cebu’s major river systems and are estimated at roughly ₱1 billion per project.
There is also an extensive existing flood-control program. DPWH-7 previously reported 576 completed flood-control projects out of 958 projects in Central Visayas covering the 2022-to-2025 period, with Cebu accounting for 414 projects identified as underway in the earlier report.
The real test comes when the next heavy rain arrives
For communities that repeatedly experience flooding, the issue is no longer simply whether a new drainage canal or flood-control structure will be built.
The bigger question is whether the entire water pathway—from the uplands, through communities and waterways, and finally toward the sea—can function as one connected system.
That is precisely what the latest Cebu inspection brought into focus.
A wider drainage canal can help. A stronger riverbank can help. A pumping station, floodgate, dredging project or dam can also help.
But when waterways are narrowed, covered or blocked, even heavy investments in flood control can face a basic physical problem: the water still has to go somewhere.
For Cebu’s flood-prone communities, the next major rainfall may provide the clearest test yet of whether the government’s renewed flood-mitigation push is beginning to change that equation.
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