PROPERTY developers are calling for a comprehensive, Metro Cebu-wide drainage master plan, warning that repeated flooding and outdated infrastructure risk undermining investment, housing delivery and long-term urban growth in one of the Philippines’ fastest-expanding regional economies.
Subdivision and Housing Developers Association–Central Visayas president Harold See said recent floods highlighted systemic weaknesses in drainage systems built decades ago, many of which no longer match the scale and density of present-day development.
“What we need is a unified drainage master plan for all of Metro Cebu, not fragmented solutions,” See said, noting that current systems date back to the 1980s and 1990s. “Without that, even well-planned private developments remain vulnerable.”
He said developers have begun coordinated talks with local government units and regional planning bodies to push for a metro-wide approach covering Cebu City, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu and neighboring growth areas, following damage caused by successive typhoons and earthquakes.
According to See, developers are often required to build internal drainage or connect to the nearest outfall, but the absence of an integrated public network limits the effectiveness of these measures. “Drainage has to be comprehensive. That’s something only government can lead,” he said.
The call comes as Cebu’s property market shows resilience, supported by steady demand from students, workers and families relocating from the provinces. However, See warned that infrastructure bottlenecks — particularly drainage and water supply — could slow new projects and dampen buyer confidence if left unresolved.
He said a clear, science-based master plan, supported by flood mapping and historical data, would help guide both public investment and private development decisions, allowing buyers to better assess risk.
“If Cebu wants to sustain growth, infrastructure has to keep pace,” See said. “A drainage master plan, and its implementation, is now urgent, not optional.”
Despite the challenges, he said developers remain constructive, citing positive engagement from some local and provincial officials and renewed momentum for coordinated planning across Metro Cebu. / KOC