THE rapid surge of floodwaters brought by typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) has highlighted a critical weakness in Cebu City’s disaster response: many flood-prone barangays still do not have rescue boats on hand when sudden inundation occurs.
This vulnerability, seen most clearly in riverside and creekside communities where Tino’s rainfall caused water levels to rise dangerously fast, has prompted the City Council to push for the procurement of inflatable rescue boats and specialized flood-response vessels.
In a resolution, authored by Acting Vice Mayor Winston Pepito, the council requested Mayor Nestor Archival to procure the rescue boats for deployment in flood-prone barangays.
The resolution, approved on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, stressed the need for equipment that can navigate shallow and debris-clogged waterways to prevent casualties in communities near rivers and creeks.
Avoiding casualties
The resolution cited that Tino dumped significant rainfall across the Visayas, causing extreme flooding in Cebu, widespread damage in component cities and municipalities, and interruptions in electricity, water supply, and communications.
It also recalled the council declared Cebu City under a state of calamity after typhoon Tino struck last Nov. 4, following a recommendation from the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The resolution said communities near rivers and creeks, repeatedly hit by high-risk flooding, need equipment that can operate where ordinary vehicles and even larger rescue units cannot reach.
Inflatable rescue boats, it noted, can traverse shallow and debris-clogged waterways and allow responders to reach families trapped inside their homes or on elevated portions of flooded areas.
Pepito wrote that “to avoid casualties in times of disasters, it is essential that the people and the government are always ready.” He said inflatable boats are among the most essential tools for survival in extreme flood scenarios.
The push comes as Cebu City continues to deal with Tino’s aftermath. As of Nov. 18, two weeks after the typhoon, six residents remain missing, according to the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Search teams have been conducting daily retrieval operations in silted river channels and debris-filled waterways, while City officials have urged the public to immediately report any unusual findings as retrieval work continues.
The proposed deployment of rescue boats directly to barangays is expected to reduce delays in future emergencies, aiming to prevent the kinds of life-threatening situations witnessed during Tino’s sudden floods. / CAV