Allyne May Abayon / Junior Journo
WHEN typhoon Tino made landfall in northern Cebu, its unexpected strength and devastating scale caught many residents by surprise. The storm unleashed strong winds and massive downpours, leading to flash floods, landslides and mudflows that destroyed homes and property.
The disaster, however, quickly became a focal point for a broader issue: the alleged exposure of years of corruption, mismanagement and environmental neglect by the government.
Across different areas of Cebu, students are voicing their frustration, anger and calls for justice. For them, typhoon Tino was not merely a natural disaster — it was a sign of governance gone wrong.
Students recalled their experiences of the typhoon and how it devastated the community. “The situation in Danao during the typhoon was tragic. Typhoon Tino destroyed people’s lives. Some of their houses were unrecognizable because of the strong flow of the flood,” Hillary Leighn De Guia said.
“Cebuanos are not hesitating to ask for accountability. “The one who should be accountable for this is the government... if they just built the riverside and the bridges foundation more stable the flood wouldn’t overflow that much and they should’ve focused on the flood control...,”
De Guia said.
She also highlighted the issue of environmental neglect. “The government wasn’t taking actions in deforestation that’s happening currently. If the trees weren’t cut down, the intense flood could’ve been prevented,” she said, adding that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources allegedly signed off on projects without proper inspections.
No power, water
The community also shared similar experiences of utilities failure. “After the typhoon this community has no electricity and some parts has no water source,” Shirlit Cabahug said.
“Lack of electricity, water shortage and, most importantly, being worried about what we’re gonna eat if all of our food runs out,” Nash Cuyos said.
While the government attempted to help, many residents felt frustrated, believing the tragedy of massive flooding could have been prevented had officials taken their jobs seriously.
The community is now asking for justice for Cebu and the accountability of all officials involved in mismanagement. Cuyos said: “Pathetic, in the sense that the ghost flood control projects could’ve prevented the flooding in most areas and the LGUs (local government units) dispute over disaster preparedness and cooperation.
“I do like to see is my country and all that inhabits it, being treated well by the next set of public officials. I hope that this archipelago will live up to its beauty. I know that it is possible” Cuyos said.
Cebuanos are demanding justice and accountability, not empathy. One typhoon shows how rotten the system is, and the only thing that must be done for this tragedy to never happen again is to change.