THE Cebu City Council is considering an ordinance that seeks to institutionalize humane treatment, financial aid, and minimum shelter standards for people displaced by disasters and government clearing operations.
The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Mikel Rama titled “Dignity to the Displaced” aims to protect individuals and families forced to leave their homes due to natural calamities or clearing operations in danger zones by establishing a rights-based displacement management system.
The proposal creates a multi-agency task force, mandates a displaced persons registry, and sets detailed standards for evacuation centers and relocation procedures.
‘Task Force Dignidad’ will be chaired by the Office of the City Mayor and will be composed of the Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS), the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO), and the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP).
Under the proposal, the city government is required to provide mandatory transitional financial assistance to families whose homes were destroyed or demolished to cover temporary rent, transportation, and immediate livelihood needs.
The measure mandates the establishment of a Displaced Persons Registry, to be maintained by the DSWS, which will serve as the official basis for identifying beneficiaries and releasing aid.
The CCDRRMO, meanwhile, will be in charge of disaster response for displaced persons due to disaster or calamities and manages the physical operation of all transitional shelters, adhering to minimum standards.
The DWUP will be the lead agency tasked to identify families living in danger zones and manage the city’s long-term permanent resettlement plans.
Humane treatment
The proposed ordinance sets minimum humanitarian standards for evacuation centers and transitional shelters, including a minimum space allocation of 1.5 square meters per person for short-term displacement and 3.5 square meters for long-term stays, gender-segregated toilets at a ratio of one per 20 evacuees, designated health stations, proper ventilation and lighting, and lockable doors for safety.
Accessibility features such as ramps and handrails are also required for persons with disabilities and senior citizens, while private breastfeeding stations and priority assistance are mandated for women, children, pregnant evacuees, and the elderly.
For clearing operations in danger zones, the ordinance requires a 30-day written notice, community consultations, and the presence of city officials during clearing and relocation activities.
Rama, in his explanatory note, said his proposed ordinance comes in the wake of recent disasters, including typhoon Tino last Nov. 4, 2025, which exposed recurring problems in evacuation centers such as overcrowding, sanitation lapses, and the lack of sustained financial support for displaced families.
Perennial problems such as insecure “tent cities,” enforcement of no-build zones, and the absence of long-term transitional assistance further add to the challenges, said Rama adding that immediate legislative intervention is required.
He said evacuees are often forced to return to unsafe areas once schools reopen or temporary shelters close, underscoring the need for a structured, long-term displacement policy.
“Above all, it affirms that while displacement may at times be unavoidable, the dignity of the displaced must always be protected,” said Rama.
Funding for disaster-related displacement programs will be sourced primarily from the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, while transitional financial assistance and resettlement initiatives will be charged against the city’s General Fund and Socialized Housing Fund.
Rama’s proposed measure has been referred to the Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling for further review.
Meanwhile, Mayor Nestor Archival, in a press conference on Dec. 22, 2025, said there were at least 370 evacuees in barangays Bacayan and Talamban. These barangays were among the heavily hit areas during Typhoon Tino after flash floods inundated the area and destroyed properties.
Archival said the city government planned to relocate them to temporary sites in barangays Budlaan and Talamban. / EHP