AS ANOTHER year begins, many families in parts of Cebu are spending the holidays away from their homes, still without permanent relocation sites months after twin calamities devastated the province.
Cebu was struck by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Sept. 30, 2025, and by typhoon Tino on Nov. 4. Both disasters caused significant casualties and claimed hundreds of lives across the province.
Displacement in Bogo City
Glenda Lepasana, 69, told SunStar Cebu that she has been staying at her niece’s house since her home in Barangay Nailon, Bogo City — located along the Bogo Bay Fault line extension — was declared unsafe. The epicenter of the September earthquake was located 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.
Lepasana said there are still no clear relocation plans, forcing her to spend Christmas and the New Year away from her home as aftershocks continue and cracks in the ground worsen. As of Saturday, Dec. 27, the 69-year-old resident said aftershocks were still being felt in Bogo City. She added that her home was further damaged by subsequent storms, and local fishing has been disrupted, leaving the community with little to catch.
Shelter struggles
In Talisay City, Monica Relatado spent Christmas at an evacuation site in Barangay San Isidro after typhoon Tino swept away her home when the Mananga River overflowed. Relatado, who is self-employed, lost all her sewing machines in the flood. She has appealed to authorities for materials to build temporary shelters while she awaits permanent relocation.
She described the holidays as quiet and challenging, adding that life in the gym has been difficult due to an insufficient water supply and the lack of a proper laundry area. “We spent Christmas and New Year here because there’s no place to go home to,” Relatado said in Cebuano, noting that her family will also celebrate the New Year in the gym.
Slow path to relocation
Displaced residents continue to hope for permanent relocation, though officials have stated that plans are underway and may take time to implement. SunStar Cebu contacted the relevant local government units for updates on relocation efforts but had not received a response as of press time.
In Cebu City, Nora Arcillas of Sitio Upper Common, Barangay Bacayan, has started building a temporary shelter on higher ground near the Butuanon River after her house was swept away by flash floods. Residents in the area were permitted to rebuild, though the safety of the site remains a concern.
While acknowledging the risks, Arcillas said the structure is only temporary since no relocation site is currently available. She borrowed money to buy materials while waiting for a permanent solution which, according to a December City Government meeting, could still take years to finalize in Barangay Budlaan. Working as a manicurist, she hopes the New Year will finally bring her a permanent home away from danger. / DPC