THE devastating floods that swept through Barangay Bacayan in Cebu City during Typhoon Tino were not just the result of torrential rains, they were the product of years of rapid urbanization, loss of forest cover, and weakened natural drainage in the city’s upland areas.
Urban expansion weakened natural barriers
Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera, who chairs the Committee on Environment and serves as vice chair of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said the rapid spread of subdivisions and cemented roads in mountain barangays has disrupted the natural flow and absorption of rainwater.
“The water from the mountains could no longer be absorbed by the soil, and that one triggered the strong water current that hit Bacayan,” Garganera told SunStar Cebu in an interview on Tuesday, Nov.4, 2025.
He said the loss of vegetation has made upland communities more vulnerable to flash floods, as the soil can no longer retain heavy rainfall.
Garganera observed that Cebu City’s landscape has changed dramatically over the past five decades.
He said the problem is not only the loss of trees but also the migration of people who have settled in the uplands.
"If we compare the city to what it was 50 years ago, the difference is huge,” he said.
Many subdivisions have been built in mountain areas that used to be covered with trees, which once helped absorb rainwater.
Now, large portions of land have been cemented, worsening surface runoff during heavy rains.
He also pointed out that the city lacks proper water retention systems, making it harder to manage sudden surges of rainwater.
"It’s not just about the loss of trees but also the migration of people who have settled in the uplands," he said.
He added that the city also lacks proper water retention systems.
"We don’t have any water retention at all, sad to say,” Garganera said.
The councilor further pointed out that the city’s waterways have been encroached upon by both informal settlers and large establishments, causing rivers to narrow over time.
"Our rivers are getting narrower," he said.
Misplaced blame and unprecedented rainfall
Some residents claimed that the floodwaters originated from Barangay Lusaran, located farther upland. However, Garganera, clarified that it would be unfair to blame Lusaran alone.
He explained that while Lusaran lies within Cebu City’s upland watershed system, the direct flow of the Butuanon River does not pass through it.
Barangay Lusaran is home to the Lusaran Watershed, one of the city’s major water catchment areas, and the Lusaran Dam, which helps supply water to the metropolitan system.
During heavy downpours, the steep terrain in Lusaran and nearby mountain barangays causes rapid surface runoff that naturally flows downhill into tributaries feeding the Butuanon River.
When this runoff converges with already swollen waterways, low-lying areas such as Bacayan bear the brunt of the flooding.
Environmental degradation has also worsened the situation.
The loss of forest cover in Cebu’s uplands and the rapid expansion of residential developments have reduced the soil’s ability to absorb water.
This has turned natural drainage channels into fast-moving floodways whenever heavy rains occur.
Garganera said this may explain why areas that had never experienced major flooding before were among the most affected during Tino.
"The barangays that never had flooding in the past are now among those experiencing it badly,” he said, attributing it to the combination of strong rains, and strong winds.
Bacayan: Among the hardest hit
Barangay Bacayan, located in the city’s northern uplands, bore the brunt of the flooding after the Butuanon River overflowed, submerging parts of the Villa del Rio subdivision and nearby neighborhoods.
As of 4:52 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, at least nine fatalities have been recorded in Cebu City, based on data from the Cebu City Incident Command Post (ICP).
The casualties were recorded in seven barangays—one in Cogon Pardo, one in Guadalupe, two in Bacayan, one in Sapangdaku, one in Talamban, one in Poblacion Pardo, and two in Kalunasan.
Several individuals remain missing in Bacayan and Sapangdaku.
Garganera said 28 individuals were still unaccounted for in Barangay Bacayan, including members of a family whose father was the lone survivor.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) is still verifying the updated number of casualties.
Call for long-term solutions
Garganera emphasized the need for long-term rehabilitation and prevention measures, including reforestation, restoring waterways, and stricter enforcement against riverbank settlements.
“We should start restoring our waterways and prohibit people from living along riverbanks. The volume of water we’re seeing now is no longer normal," he said.
The Cebu City Government remains on red alert as rescue, relief, and clearing operations continue for affected residents. (CAV)