THE Cebu City Government is pushing for a P10-15 million feasibility study to serve as the foundation for a massive P8.2-billion modernization of its two-decade-old drainage system. This comes after the City Council pressed officials to submit updates within 15 days.
The resolution, which was passed on Sept. 8, 2025, was prompted by a privilege speech from Councilor Joel Garganera on Aug. 19. In his speech, he described flooding as “the most urgent issue” facing the city and stated that Cebu’s 2005 Drainage Master Plan has long been obsolete, with only about 20 percent of its recommendations ever implemented.
“Flooding in our city is not just a passing inconvenience. It is like a predator that disappears in the shadows only to strike again in the next heavy downpour,” Garganera told his colleagues. He added, “A clear indicator of this reality is our outdated Drainage Master Plan.”
The Cebu City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) acknowledged this issue in its official response to the council. The office admitted that the existing plan no longer reflects the realities of rapid urbanization, climate change and unfinished flood-control projects. Former city engineer Kenneth Enriquez also explained that the plan, which was drawn up in 2004 by the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), has become irrelevant. City engineers now believe that implementing it in its current form will not solve the flooding problem.
To replace the outdated blueprint, the City has proposed a P10-15 million feasibility study this year. The study will provide the technical and financial basis for a new drainage system, which the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 estimates will cost P8.2 billion. The CPDO stated that the DPWH and the DEPW will be responsible for implementing the study and the eventual project rollout. The study is expected to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026, with a phased implementation to follow.
The CPDO also recommended clear timelines, transparency through regular public reporting, regional coordination with neighboring cities Mandaue and Talisay and grassroots engagement with barangay leaders and residents.
In the meantime, Mayor Nestor Archival has ordered the desilting and declogging of waterways as a short-term solution. He has also proposed a “swamp system” or rainwater catchment area with pumps in flood-prone zones. Other solutions under consideration include detention ponds, gabion and impounding dams and catchment systems. The City is also exploring partnerships with the National Irrigation Administration for a P1-billion dam in Lusaran and the Metro Cebu Water District for a P300-million dam at D’ Family Park in Talamban.
Garganera emphasized that solving the flooding issue will require more than just infrastructure; it will also need cooperation with neighboring local government units and behavioral changes from residents. “Water knows no political boundaries,” he said. “We share rivers with Mandaue, such as Mahiga and Butuanon. And flooding does not stop at the border. Our partnership with Beyond Borders must not just continue, it must grow stronger.” He also added that the public must be reminded not to throw trash into waterways and that environmental campaigns should be backed by strict enforcement. / CAV