THE southern portion of Metro Cebu has once again been brought to a standstill by heavy flooding and traffic gridlock. A downpour early Monday morning, Aug. 18, 2025, was enough to submerge roads, shut down traffic and trap commuters for up to five hours.
For business owners, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the floods have meant canceled deliveries and empty shops. For students, it has meant a lost class day. And for employees, it has meant hours stuck in transit instead of at work.
The recurring floods are no longer isolated inconveniences but a chronic problem that exposes gaps in Cebu’s urban planning and disaster preparedness.
Last Friday night, Aug. 15, widespread flooding hit Metro Cebu after record rainfall. Hundreds of families evacuated as waters rose quickly. Major roads turned impassable, and at least one person died in Mandaue City. Homes, cars, and infrastructure suffered damage, with local officials pushing for urgent flood control solutions.
Impact on businesses
Business groups say flooding has become one of the biggest threats to Cebu’s local economy.
MSMEs hardest hit. According to Rey Calooy, chairman of the Filipino-Cebuano Business Club, MSMEs cannot easily absorb sudden disruptions. Shops lose revenue when customers stay home, while deliveries and bookings are canceled. Even light rainfall now deters foot traffic.
Canceled operations. Business activities in flood-prone areas are often called off, leading to cumulative losses in the millions of pesos.
Tax incentives as solutions. Calooy urged government to consider offering incentives for businesses that adopt recycling and water management practices as part of climate-resilient planning.
“We need all resources deployed 24/7,” Calooy said, warning against the “wait-and-see” approach of some local governments.
The disruption is not limited to Cebu City. Massive traffic caused by flooding spilled into the neighboring Talisay City and other towns, compounding losses for enterprises across the metro area.
Commuter nightmare
For thousands of commuters, Aug. 18 turned into a lost day.
Three- to five-hour trips. A journey that normally takes less than an hour stretched to three hours from Minglanilla and as long as five from Moalboal, with congestion choking South Road Properties and N. Bacalso Ave.
Students stranded. Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival and Talisay City officials canceled face-to-face classes to keep students safe. In Minglanilla, classes were also suspended as many students and teachers were unable to reach schools.
Spillover effects. Carl Cabusas, president of the Talisay Chamber of Commerce, said gridlock disrupts not just commerce but also “productivity and daily life,” as employees and students lose valuable hours.
For commuters, the problem is more than inconvenience. Missed classes set back learning. Delayed workers reduce office productivity. Business meetings are postponed or canceled. Over time, this weakens confidence in Cebu’s reliability as a hub for trade, education and investment.
Officials and business leaders agree that flooding in Metro Cebu is not merely a natural phenomenon. It is partly man-made, they said.
Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak pointed out some reasons why the urban center is always inundated during a downpour:
Outdated drainage system. Cebu’s drainage master plan is more than 10 years old and no longer reflects current urban realities. Drainage mains are undersized for today’s population and rainfall.
Uncontrolled upland development. Housing and road projects in the mountains alter natural water pathways, sending more water rushing down to lowland communities.
Private lot ownership. Key flood-control projects are stalled because landowners refuse to sell or allow canals to be built on their property. Officials warn that expropriation may be needed.
Climate change pressures. Heavier rains linked to climate change now overwhelm the city’s already burdened infrastructure.
Tumulak, who has long pushed for stronger flood management, said building water impounding facilities in upland areas could help catch rain before it floods low-lying districts.
Scrambling for answers
The floods have forced local governments to act, though many measures are still temporary.
Barangay disaster teams: Tumulak urged barangay captains to activate response teams since they are frontliners in evacuations and cleanups.
”Beyond the Borders” revival: Archival said he would restart a partnership with Mandaue City to address floods that cross boundaries, particularly rivers that overflow from Cebu City into Mandaue’s lowlands.
Public works coordination: The Department of Public Works and Highways has flood-mitigation projects pending across Lahug, Banilad, and Mabolo. Archival said he would push for completion but warned of temporary traffic congestion during construction.
Environmental measures: The City plans desilting operations in rivers, city-wide tree planting and enforcement of ordinances requiring commercial establishments to build rainwater catchment systems.
Still, many of these solutions are long-term and require sustained political will, as well as cooperation from landowners and private developers.
What this means for students and workers
Floods are not just about waterlogged streets—they disrupt lives.
Students: Every canceled school day means delays in learning, exams and academic calendars. Parents also lose work time when children are kept home.
Businessmen and workers: Business leaders report millions in losses, while workers miss shifts or arrive late. For professionals, hours spent in traffic can mean lost deals and reduced competitiveness.
Public health risks: Families in flood-prone barangays face not only lost income but also health risks from exposure to floodwater.
Cebu Province Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Dennis Pastor said floodwaters often recede after a few hours, but by then, the damage — economic, educational, and personal — has already been done.
Bigger picture
Floodings in August are not just the latest reminder that Metro Cebu’s infrastructure has not kept pace with its growth. As the metro expands upward and outward, drainage systems, waste management and road networks remain outdated.
Without urgent investment in flood control and climate-adaptive planning, business leaders warn that every heavy downpour will bring the same cycle: lost revenue for MSMEs, lost learning for students, lost productivity
for workers.
Cebu’s reputation as a hub of commerce and education depends on whether leaders can finally build a city that does not grind to a halt every time it rains. / KOC, EHP, CDF