'9 olympic-sized pools of rain swamp Cebu City'

AN ESTIMATED volume of rain equal to about nine Olympic-size swimming pools fell on Cebu City in just two hours on Thursday, July 30, 2026, overwhelming drainage systems, flooding urban communities and stranding motorists and students.

The downpour also renewed attention on the city’s long-standing flooding problem and the need for larger drainage projects.

The recurring flooding in the city and other parts of the province has prompted Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon to announce plans to return to Cebu in the coming weeks to inspect drainage systems and review long-term flood-control measures.

Dizon said the DPWH is shifting its focus from repairing infrastructure damaged by previous typhoons to projects designed to reduce flooding before disasters occur. He visited Cebu several times after typhoon Tino devastated parts of the province on Nov. 4, 2025, to inspect rehabilitation and flood-mitigation projects.

Focus shifts from rehabilitation to flood prevention

Dizon said most post-typhoon rehabilitation projects are nearing completion, allowing the department to concentrate on improving drainage systems that have repeatedly failed during intense rainfall.

“I will check the work that has been done, and at the same time I will go to the city to see what the problem is,” Dizon told reporters from national media outlets on Friday.

He said Cebu could benefit from the same drainage improvement program being carried out in Metro Manila, with the DPWH identifying flood-control measures that have already proven effective before adapting them to other areas.

The review comes as Cebu City continues to experience flooding despite regular drainage maintenance, highlighting concerns that existing infrastructure can no longer handle increasingly intense downpours.

Heavy rain paralyzes communities

The rain, which fell from around 1 p.m. until past 3 p.m. on Thursday, inundated nearly all urban barangays, while most upland communities were spared.

Disaster committee chairman Councilor Dave Tumulak said the rainfall estimate was based on information relayed by Pagasa. He said about 22.2 millimeters (mm) of rain fell over Cebu City and Mandaue City, while Lapu-Lapu City recorded about 9 mm.

Some areas that had not previously experienced flooding were also submerged, suggesting that the amount of rainfall exceeded the capacity of the city’s drainage network.

Floodwaters carried mud, construction debris and large amounts of garbage, indicating that clogged drainage canals also contributed to the flooding.

“That tells us many of our existing drainage systems were clogged,” Tumulak said in Cebuano, urging residents to dispose of garbage properly to keep waterways clear during heavy rains.

Among the hardest-hit communities were Barangays Tisa, Guadalupe, Lahug, Bulacao and Basak Pardo, where several roads became impassable and vehicles were stranded.

Rescue teams responded to flooded areas, including La Paloma in Barangay Tisa, Sitio Dakit in Barangay Guadalupe and parts of Barangay Pit-os, where senior citizens were assisted to safety before floodwaters subsided.

In Sitio Dakit, Tumulak claimed flooding worsened because runoff from an uphill subdivision converged in the low-lying community. Ongoing land development in the area also increased the volume of water flowing into the sitio.

The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) also conducted damage validation in Sitio Esperanza, Barangay Tisa, on Friday and found that two houses occupied by two families, or six people, were affected by the flooding.

Precautionary class suspensions

With another spell of heavy rain forecast for Friday, July 31, city officials moved to prevent a repeat of Thursday’s disruptions.

Tumulak said he immediately informed Mayor Nestor Archival and recommended the early dismissal of classes after many students were stranded when floodwaters made roads impassable.

“We don’t want our students to experience what happened yesterday when many of them had to stay in school because they could no longer go home,” Tumulak said.

The recommendation was based on rainfall forecasts from Pagasa and Cebu City’s in-house weather forecaster, Oscar Tabada, who projected another period of significant rainfall over the city.

Although no rainfall warning had been issued as of Friday morning, Tumulak said the city chose to act early because of the unpredictable movement of the weather system.

Several local government units across Metro Cebu also suspended classes or ordered early dismissal. Cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay and Danao, along with the Municipality of Consolacion, issued advisories directing schools to dismiss students early or suspend classes based on Pagasa rainfall forecasts and recommendations from their disaster risk reduction offices.

Drainage remains the long-term challenge

Tumulak said flooding has remained a recurring problem in Cebu City since 2013, particularly in low-lying communities.

The CCDRRMO has recommended prioritizing drainage improvement projects in flood-prone areas, but implementation has been slowed by right-of-way acquisition issues and rising construction costs.

“The priority should be the areas where the most people are affected,” he said.

He added that while regular declogging operations help reduce the impact of heavy rain, they cannot solve the city’s flooding problem on their own. Larger drainage upgrades, combined with proper waste disposal, remain necessary to reduce the effects of increasingly intense rainfall.

The CCDRRMO remains on heightened alert as intermittent rains brought by the southwest monsoon continue to affect Cebu City. The office said it has more than 400 emergency response assets, including ambulances, transport vehicles, water tankers, rescue equipment and communication devices, ready for deployment during emergencies.