The Cebu City Council raised alarms over stalled, underfunded, and damaged agricultural projects after the City Agriculture Department (CAD) admitted that up to 23 of its 44 irrigation facilities were initially non-operational.
Local lawmakers criticized the city's repetitive procurement of short-term supplies like plastic drums, while Councilor Pastor "Jun" Alcover targeted the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for leaving upland watering facilities broken for years.
To enforce accountability, the City Council gave the CAD a one-week deadline to submit its official agreement with NIA, an irrigation status report, a recipient tool list, and a written El Niño mitigation plan.
CEBU City councilors are deeply concerned about whether the city is truly prepared for the upcoming El Niño dry spell. During a tense meeting, officials from the City Agriculture Department (CAD) admitted that several critical projects meant to protect farmers from drought have stalled, run out of money, or are still being repaired.
Local lawmakers are now questioning the city's ability to water crops, its long-term water plans for mountain communities, and how well the city government is working with national agencies.
Broken pumps, budget confusion
The hearing revealed serious gaps in Cebu City's agricultural defense against drought. Joey Baclayon, the head of CAD, stated that while the city has about 44 irrigation facilities to help upland villages, only 21 were working at first due to shrinking water sources and power issues.
Later in the meeting, Baclayon changed the number, stating that 31 facilities were actually operating while the rest were being repaired. Many of the irrigation systems rely on electricity, which farmers cannot afford.
“Most of these operating facilities are now also affected by the drought,” Baclayon said.
To fix this, the CAD proposed spending P10 million to repair irrigation systems and P15 million for supplies like hoses, drums, seeds, fertilizer, and solar pumps. Baclayon told the council he thought this money was left out of the city's recent budget.
However, Councilor Dave Tumulak quickly corrected him, pointing out that the P10 million for irrigation had already been approved. This left councilors asking why the city’s own agriculture department did not know its budget was ready.
Who controls the water?
Another major problem raised was who actually runs the city's watering systems. Many residents believe the Cebu City Government is in charge, but the infrastructure is actually controlled by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), a national government agency.
Councilor Pastor "Jun" Alcover pointed out that several watering facilities in the mountains, including those in Barangay Agsungot, have been broken for years under NIA's watch.
“So, I would like to make this clear in public nga ang Cebu City walay klarong irrigation system. It is run by NIA (So, I would like to make this clear to the public that Cebu City has no proper irrigation system. It is run by NIA),” Alcover said.
The CAD explained that NIA handles the largest projects because it has more money and technical expertise. However, when councilors asked if there was an official agreement between the city and NIA, or if the mayor was allowed to sign one, the CAD could not give a clear answer. The council has now demanded copies of all agreements to find out who is responsible.
Stop 'band-aid' solutions
Lawmakers are desperate to avoid repeating the severe water shortages of the 2024 drought, when mountain residents scrambled to find water tankers and had to pay massive prices just to survive.
“Mao nay problema kay ang baril, kada tuig sige tag request og baril (That is the problem because with the barrels, every year we keep requesting barrels),” Alcover said, questioning where all the previously distributed plastic drums went.
Councilors heavily criticized the city for constantly buying temporary supplies like hoses and drums every single year instead of building permanent water systems.
To prepare for the current dry spell, the CAD wants to buy two water tankers—one for the north and one for the south—along with solar-powered water pumps, which would eliminate expensive electricity bills for farmers. The city has also found areas where they could build water-saving dams and develop natural springs, but Baclayon admitted these projects are delayed because of arguments over land ownership and watershed access.
The clock is ticking for mountain farmers
Frustration filled the room as leaders realized the city is making the same mistakes it made during past El Niño events. Presiding officer Councilor Sisinio Andales stated plainly that the city appeared “not prepared” for the severe weather ahead.
To force faster action, the City Council has given the CAD one week to submit: a copy of its official agreement with NIA, a complete list and status report of all irrigation systems, a list of every resident who received tools like drums, hoses, and tractors, a written, step-by-step El Niño mitigation and safety plan.
Additionally, Vice Mayor Tommy Osmeña asked the CAD to check if large dam projects planned by the Department of Public Works and Highways in Cambinocot and Cotcot can be connected to local farms to save water for at least 18 villages.
The meeting ended with councilors demanding that the city's bidding committee speed up approvals for solar water pumps and other emergency tools. For the farming communities in Cebu City's mountains, these long-delayed projects cannot come soon enough.