SIXTH District Rep. Emmarie “Lolypop”Ouano-Dizon has asked the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to explain the recent collapse of a 15-meter section of a multi-
million-peso riprap project along Butuanon River.
The structure, built only a year ago in 2024, failed during last week’s heavy rains, washing away five houses in Barangay Casuntingan.
Ouano-Dizon said while her responsibility is to secure funding for flood mitigation projects, the design, engineering, and implementation fall under the jurisdiction of the DPWH and its contractors.
She expects DPWH 6th District officials to meet with her to explain the the design
standards of the flood control projects along Butuanon River.
In an interview on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, Ouano-Dizon said the DPWH must present the full scope of work and specifications not only to her office but also to the public and media to ensure transparency.
She added that explanations must be simplified so residents, many of whom are not engineers, can understand how flood control systems are built, including sheet piling, reinforcements, masonry, and riprap.
This would help the community see whether standards were followed and why failures occurred, she said.
Ouano-Dizon has secured P3.8 billion for Mandaue’s flood control projects, but addressing the city’s flood problem fully would require an estimated P12 billion, she said.
The collapsed riprap in Casuntingan formed part of a 265-meter stretch built in 2024 by On Point Construction with a P90-million budget. The damage was estimated at P500,000.
Since the project has not yet been officially turned over to the government, the cost of repairs will be shouldered by the contractor, said Ouano-Dizon.
Joint inspection
Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano has called on the City Engineering Office, DPWH representatives, and stakeholders to jointly assess the quality of all flood control projects along the 11.4-kilometer stretch of the Butuanon River, the longest flood control system under the DPWH 6th District.
Only about seven kilometers of the works on both sides of the river have been completed so far.
Ouano noted that Mandaue City has different contractors and varying designs for separate portions of the river, making it essential for local authorities to determine whether each contractor followed the approved plans and technology.
He also requested a full list of all flood control projects in Mandaue City since 2018 and their costs, along with the City’s master drainage plan, to compare national and local infrastructure efforts.
For immediate flood response, Ouano plans to acquire or lease mobile pumping trucks as a practical short-term measure to quickly lower floodwaters in heavily-affected areas such as barangays Umapad and Paknaan.
Meanwhile, the City Government has released P49,000 to help the family of a 25-year-old driver who died after attempting to retrieve his taxi at the height of raging floods on Friday, Aug. 15.
The Mandaue City Council also passed two resolutions on Aug. 18 to strengthen the city’s flood preparedness.
One resolution requested the National Telecommunications Commission to include Mandaue’s Early Warning System in its Emergency Cell Broadcast System, to ensure localized alerts reach residents’ mobile phones during disasters.
The other was a request to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to install an early warning system at the headwaters of Butuanon River or within the river’s watershed area.
Ouano assured that flood control efforts are ongoing; but urged residents to manage expectations, as the problem requires long-term solutions.
“If we find out that a contractor failed to follow the approved design, there will be due process, and we will push for them to be blacklisted. Rest assured, little by little, we are working toward lasting solutions—small wins that will improve our city’s flood resilience,” the mayor said. / CAV