CEBU Vice Governor Glenn Soco believes that a unified approach and proper coordination between local governments and national agencies, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), will provide solutions to Cebu’s flood control problems.
Soco reiterated the amended Ordinance 2023-05 of the Provincial Board, which was passed to mandate all national line agencies to coordinate with the Cebu Provincial Government in implementing projects and programs within the province.
The ordinance also stipulates penalties of P5,000 or imprisonment for any individual who violates the provincial directive.
Soco expressed disappointment over the growing complaints from board members and local chief executives regarding DPWH-managed projects, many of which are allegedly left unfinished.
As a result, DPWH Central Visayas (DPWH 7) officials are set to be summoned by the Provincial Board on Monday, September 8, 2025.
This resolution was authored by Board Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez during the Board’s regular session on Monday, September 1, to seek clarification, updates, and reports on provincial projects, including flood control, road concreting, and others.
“Kay kani man gu'ng katawhan, dili na ni mo blame sa DPWH. Ang ila suktan ang elected officials, unya di na mana sila kahibaw asa ang barangay road, asay municipal road, city road, ug hay national road. So makita nato if mokuyog ka sa ubang bahin sa probinsya nga wa pa matiwas, hinay kaayo, and the methodology of implementation naay gi hurot og una ang side, naay uban gi by portion, by portion,” said Soco on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
(Because the people don’t usually blame the DPWH; instead, they blame the elected officials. But they don’t really know which are barangay roads, municipal roads, city roads, or national roads. So if you go around other parts of the province, you will see projects that remain unfinished, moving very slowly, and even the methodology of implementation is problematic -- some finish one side first, others work by portion, by portion.)
Among the examples cited by Soco were the flood control project in Mandaue City, road concreting projects in towns, the Metro Cebu Expressway, and others.
Soco said that when he was still a board member of Mandaue’s Lone District, DPWH 7 had already prepared an integrated flood control and drainage master plan for Metro Cebu back in 2016. The plan was said to include detailed interventions such as garbage handling, waste management, and environmental impact considerations.
“In the idea of solving the flooding sa Metro Cebu, dili man gud mahimo nga binagsa, iya-iya ang approach niini. Each local government unit would want to have their own plan, its good, but it has to [be] murag gitahi nimo ba to create a bigger master plan,” said Soco. “Katong planoha if nasunod lang to siya, it would have dramatically solve the flooding.”
(In solving the flooding in Metro Cebu, it cannot be done in a fragmented, piecemeal manner. Each local government unit may want their own plan, which is fine, but it has to be stitched together to create a bigger master plan. If only that plan had been followed, it would have dramatically solved the flooding.)
Aside from flood control, Soco also pointed out that the long-delayed Metro Cebu Expressway, funded with an indicative cost of P94.07 billion, remains unfinished.
Soco agreed that instead of leaving the project under DPWH, it would be better managed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to expedite completion.
“To me personally, the way to implement it is through a PPP mode kay in the same manner that nahuman na ang CCLEX [Cebu Cordova Link Expressway] bridge should be in the same approach that we should do with that, because imaginon nimo ang DPWH na sad ang mo implementar ana -- my goodness,” he said.
(To me personally, the way to implement it is through a PPP mode. In the same way that the CCLEX [Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway] bridge was completed, that should also be the approach we take here. Because if we imagine that DPWH will handle this again -- my goodness.)
“Sauna, that was P30 billion lang ang indicative cost, karon niabot na og P100 billion. Mas mosaka pa na, ganahan kaayo sila ana, magkaanam kadako ang project, mas anam magkalisod ang project, nindot na para nila,” he added.
(Before, the indicative cost was just P30 billion. Now, it has ballooned to P100 billion, and it could rise even further. The bigger the project, the more difficult it becomes to finish, and that only benefits them.)
It was also learned that DPWH is currently under heavy criticism due to ongoing inquiries and investigations in Manila into flood control projects allegedly marred by anomalies, including issues involving contractors implementing the projects. (ANV)