Environmental Management Bureau 7 Director John Edward Ang stated in a Sept. 11, 2026 letter that proposed dams and water-impounding projects across Cebu must undergo project-specific environmental screening and secure required clearances.
The EMB 7 response followed a May 26 Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution supporting DPWH 7 proposals for dams along nine major river systems to address water shortages and flooding.
The council's conditional support required compliance with environmental laws, public consultations, and transparent studies on dam safety, hydrology, flood modeling, water allocation, and maintenance.
PROPOSED dams and water-impounding projects along Cebu’s major river systems must undergo project-specific environmental screening and secure required clearances before proceeding, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 said.
In a Sept. 11, 2026 letter to the Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod, EMB-7 Director John Edward Ang said the proposed projects would be subject to the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System under Presidential Decree 1586 and its implementing rules.
The EMB’s response came after the City Council adopted a resolution on May 26 supporting dams and water-impounding projects meant to address Cebu’s recurring water shortages and flooding.
Decision
The resolution covered projects along the Mananga, Bulacao, Guadalupe, Kinalumsan, Butuanon, Lusaran, Cansaga, Cotcot and Danao river systems, part of a broader Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 proposal to build dams across Cebu. The Regional Development Council 7 conditionally endorsed the proposal in May, pending technical requirements and public consultation.
Under the council resolution, the structures would help mitigate flooding while providing domestic water, supporting groundwater recharge and agriculture, and benefiting fisheries.
However, Ang said the projects cannot proceed based solely on council support. “The proposed dam and water-impounding projects identified in the Resolution should undergo project-specific coverage screening and categorization by the EMB prior to implementation,” he said. Projects meeting applicable thresholds must secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) first.
Projects within environmentally critical areas may be covered by the EIS System regardless of size. Multi-component projects must be screened as a whole, including associated facilities.
Conditional council support
The council’s resolution did not give an unconditional go-ahead. Support was conditioned on compliance with applicable laws, regulations and technical standards. It urged DPWH and national agencies to conduct meaningful consultations with affected local governments and stakeholders, secure prior approval where required, and comply with environmental permitting rules. It also called for protecting watersheds, river systems, downstream communities and ecological habitats, and for transparent studies on dam safety, hydrology, flood modeling, water allocation and maintenance.
The resolution passed unanimously on May 26, though Councilors Joel Garganera and Harold Go were absent for the vote.
DPWH-7 presented the dam program as a long-term response to Cebu’s flooding and water-shortage problems, discussed in consultations with local governments, national agencies and other stakeholders. As of EMB’s Sept. 11 response, specific categorization and documentary requirements for individual projects remain subject to project-by-project assessment. EMB said it supports sustainable water-resource development but stressed compliance with environmental laws and safeguards. / CAV