THE Cebu City Government is planning to create a “tent city” to relocate hundreds of typhoon Tino evacuees still occupying public schools, but Mayor Nestor Archival admits finding a suitable site remains the biggest challenge.
The City has extended the evacuees’ stay in schools until Thursday, November 20, 2025
to ensure that affected families have temporary shelter while officials secure a site for the tent city.
Archival appealed to property owners for help, noting that eight schools are still being used as shelters, including Bacayan Elementary School with 712 evacuees.
He said they are working overtime with barangay officials to identify possible areas, noting that while the City can provide tents, they still need institutions with kind and compassionate hearts willing to help.
“If anyone has a place that can be rented so we can put up these tents, I am asking for your help,” he said.
He said City Hall hopes to gather 50 to 100 tents for initial deployment. The local government will provide a soft kitchen, while private individuals and groups have also offered to help once a site is finalized.
He added that the City Government will also need to build common comfort rooms and shower areas, but the real challenge remains finding a suitable location.
He appealed to institutions or property owners willing to temporarily host evacuees: “Help the City Government. Let us help the City of Cebu.”
According to the Schools Division of Cebu City, several public schools continue to serve as evacuation sites while maintaining academic operations. Talamban Elementary School is hosting 621 evacuees in 18 rooms, and Regino Mercado Night High School has 241 evacuees in 12 rooms, with both schools keeping regular classes ongoing.
OPRRA Elementary School shelters one family in a single room and continues normal classes, while San Jose Elementary School accommodates 385 evacuees in 15 rooms while implementing modular distance learning (MDL).
Bacayan Elementary School hosts the largest number, 712 evacuees in 23 rooms, and is conducting limited emergency classes.
Lusaran National High School shelters 53 evacuees in five rooms with MDL in place, while San Jose National High School has one family occupying one room and continues classes as usual.
Meanwhile, Lusaran Elementary School houses 33 families, totaling 150 individuals in six rooms, and also operates under MDL.
Archival said the continued use of classrooms as evacuation sites affects school operations, adding urgency to identifying a relocation area where the tent city can be immediately established.
“We only need a few months while the MRB (Medium-Rise Building) preparations are ongoing. We just really need a place,” he added. / CAV