THE deadly flooding in Cebu from typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) has raised a critical question that goes beyond the immediate disaster recovery: With billions reportedly spent on flood control, why did the province suffer such widespread devastation?
This apparent gap between massive public funding and on-the-ground vulnerability is now the focus of an official investigation by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
Here is a breakdown of the situation and what is at stake.
What is happening
The ICI announced it will conduct an inspection of flood control projects in Cebu, beginning Sunday, Nov. 16.
The probe will focus on the areas most affected by the typhoon, particularly in central Cebu, including the cities of Cebu, Talisay and Mandaue and the municipalities of Consolacion and Liloan.
The investigation was announced by ICI Special Adviser Rodolfo Azurin Jr. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, before a high-command meeting in Camp Crame.
The scale of construction
The inspection targets a vast number of infrastructure projects built over the last decade.
Based on records from the Department of Public Works and Highways, 343 flood control infrastructures were constructed in the province from 2016 to 2022. An additional 168 projects were initiated from 2023 to 2025.
Of the 343 projects, two were terminated. Of the 168 projects under the current administration, 55 are still ongoing.
This probe in Cebu follows a similar inspection the ICI conducted in Davao last week.
The core discrepancy
The central issue driving the investigation is accountability for the enormous sums allocated for these projects.
Azurin said the commission wants to know why the flooding was so severe despite the money spent.
“Sa Central Cebu tayo, sa Cebu City and Mandaue, basta ‘yung mga badly affected... Titingnan natin kung bakit ganun yung nangyari despite sa napakalaki ng funding na dinala doon,” he said.
(We will go to Central Cebu, in Cebu City and Mandaue, other areas as long as they are the badly affected areas... We will look into why that happened despite the huge amount of funding brought there.)
Azurin pointed to the figure cited by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro: “‘Di ba, sabi nga ni governor, P26 billion plus. So, yan ang pinapatingnan ni ICI chairman (Didn’t the governor say, P26 billion plus. So, that’s what the ICI chairman is looking into).” The ICI chairman is retired justice Andres Reyes Jr.
What happens next
The investigation is not just a review; it is a hunt for evidence to see if the implementation matched the project contracts.
Azurin said the goal is to potentially build legal cases.
“We hope we can develop cases, definitely,” he said.
To do this, the ICI will work with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which have subpoena powers to acquire the necessary documents.
“Sa ngayon, we are now getting ‘yong mga bid documents through the help of the CIDG and the NBI... So we need to study ‘yong bid documents. Ibabangga namin ‘yan sa actual na implementation,” Azurin said.
(Right now, we are getting the bid documents through the help of the CIDG and the NBI... So we need to study those bid documents. We will compare them against the actual implementation.) / TPM