CEBU City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has directed the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) to immediately recover and repaint all fire hydrants within the city.
The directive, issued during a meeting at City Hall on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, aims to enhance water supply accessibility for fire emergencies, particularly in preparation for the dry season.
Urgency
Garcia stressed the urgency of the matter as April is considered to be the hottest month of the year, making the readiness of fire hydrants crucial.
“Recover all the fire hydrants, repaint them so that they will be identified as such so that in case of emergencies, we can get water from them because we already know where they are,” said Garcia in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Garcia said the MCWD revealed during the meeting that some fire hydrants were “disguised” as they were painted with colors other than the standard yellow.
The CCDRRMO noted that some hydrants were painted green.
“Fire hydrants have to be identified, have to be recovered and have to be repainted to its international standards or Philippine standards, whatever it is,” said Garcia.
Colors
He said the fire hydrants will be repainted yellow and surrounded with yellow and black stripes to meet international standards for better visibility and identification during emergencies.
Garcia also stressed the importance of ensuring unobstructed access to fire hydrants.
In a previous SunStar report, MCWD local government unit liaison officer Cesar Pelarca told the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on April 3, that 10 percent of the city’s fire hydrants were damaged, while two percent were either missing or non-functional.
Cebu City has 397 fire hydrants installed in various areas. / JPS