THE recurring cycles of destructive flooding in Metro Cebu have once again exposed a fundamental tension between rapid urban development and the need for sustainable infrastructure. The issue is no longer about weather, but about shelved plans and accountable development, raising the question: What is the cost of neglecting long-term, coordinated solutions?
Call for action on flooding
Vice Gov. Glenn Anthony Soco on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, urged the Provincial Board (PB) to take immediate and concrete legislative action following the devastation of typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) last week. The typhoon submerged homes and caused casualties in areas including Mandaue City, Consolacion, Cordova, and Talisay City.
Soco pressed for two main actions: the immediate implementation of the dormant Metro Cebu Flood and Drainage System Master Plan and the crafting of an ordinance requiring all developers in the province to install rainwater catchment facilities in their projects. He called the persistent flooding “infuriating” and “avoidable,” asserting that temporary relief operations are a mere reaction, not genuine public service.
The big picture context of shelved plans
The core problem, according to Soco, is a lack of continuity and accountability in implementing crucial infrastructure plans. The Metro Cebu Flood and Drainage System Master Plan, originally prepared in 2013 by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, was designed to provide a comprehensive, long-term solution.
The plan was not shelved due to lack of interest initially; it received P700 million in funding in 2018 and another P1.2 billion in 2019. However, Soco lamented, “But after that, nothing. Funding stopped and the plan was shelved.” This interruption allowed random and uncoordinated projects to proceed, many of which were inconsistent with the original master plan, effectively undermining the coordinated flood control strategy.
Why flooding matters
The consequences of this planning failure go beyond inconvenience. The vice governor articulated the steep price paid by ordinary residents: “Each flood means lost income, damaged property and families forced to start over.” The repeated devastation means communities are constantly engaged in recovery instead of progress. Soco criticized the reliance on relief and calamity declarations, stating, “We’ve gotten so used to handing out relief goods and declaring a state of calamity calling it public service. That’s not service — that’s reaction.”
What happened with the master plan
The Metro Cebu Flood and Drainage System Master Plan was a multi-year effort that was sufficiently funded for two years (2018-2019) but then abruptly stopped. This halt in funding and subsequent lack of implementation derailed the comprehensive approach needed to address the region’s complex drainage issues. The subsequent piecemeal projects, often inconsistent with the overall strategy, failed to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall events like typhoon Tino.
Requiring rainwater catchment facilities
Soco’s call for a mandatory ordinance on rainwater catchment is a direct attempt to mandate responsible development. Currently, developers may contribute to surface run-off by paving over land and not providing adequate water retention systems. The proposed ordinance seeks to make this type of mitigation a rule, not the exception, ensuring that new projects inherently reduce the strain on the public drainage system.
The role of accountability
A critical component of the resolution is ensuring accountability for past failures. Soco emphasized the need to hold contractors and officials involved in substandard or anomalous flood control projects responsible. “We can’t keep rebuilding what was built wrong. We can’t keep fixing symptoms while ignoring the cause,” he stated.
What’s next
The spotlight now shifts to the PB and National Government agencies. Soco’s proposals, which include furnishing his speech to the DPWH and the Office of the President, are designed to put political pressure on full implementation. He also welcomed the commitment from DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon to revisit and implement the master plan, though he tempered this by saying, “That gives us hope — but hope alone won’t solve anything.”
The next steps to watch for are the PB’s action on the proposed catchment ordinance and the scheduled briefing where the DPWH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are expected to update the Board on the status and timeline of the master plan. The challenge moving forward is translating political promises into sustainable, forward-thinking measures that ensure Cebuanos receive “honest work, honest leadership and solutions that last beyond political terms.” / CDF