DESPITE Cebu City’s current fiscal crisis, Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. is urging Mayor Nestor Archival to hire more disaster personnel to combat persistent flooding, citing the lack of manpower in the city’s response team.
During a privilege speech on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025, Alcover said the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) is currently understaffed with only 185 personnel — a significant drop from the over 400 workers during the last administration.
Alcover pointed to two past executive orders that created anti-flooding task forces, issued by former mayors Michael Rama (Gubat sa Baha) and Raymond Alvin Garcia (Task Group Reduced Danger Zone).
He said these task forces were able to address flooding issues in the city.
The session turned contentious during a heated exchange between Alcover and Councilor Sisinio Andales.
Andales said it was too early to blame the Archival administration for the flooding and challenged Alcover’s statement that the situation has worsened due to manpower cuts made by the mayor.
However, Alcover stood by his statement and said he was not blaming the current administration but only calling for additional manpower.
“Please do not use the term ‘blaming’ because I am not blaming,” said Alcover.
‘Rewind’
The heated exchange prompted Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the presiding officer, to intervene to stop the debate.
Recalling his experience as a longtime mayor of Cebu, Osmeña said today’s flooding problem can be attributed to the developments in upland areas with no efficient flood-mitigation efforts.
“We have to rewind, we have to redo everything,” said Osmeña.
Alcover said the Gubat sa Baha Task Force had a budget of P16 million; but only half of that amount was used.
He said the task force previously had 120 personnel. Of that number, 80 were assigned to the city’s eight major rivers, 10 for each river.
But as the administration changed, no personnel was left behind, said Alcover, after Archival abolished the task forces.
He said Archival, through Executive Order No. 2, created the Flood and Drainage Council to coordinate and implement flood mitigation efforts but this did not include an implementing arm.
Alcover called for the activation of the previous task force and for the Mayor to hire more disaster personnel.
He said the city’s current fiscal crisis should not be a reason to neglect flood preparedness.
Earlier, Archival revealed a careful approach to the hiring of City Hall employees due to a reported budget deficit.
Alcover pointed out that many residents have been affected by flooding with their homes and livelihoods damaged due to clogged rivers and waterways.
This, he said, requires an immediate resolution. / EHP