Cebu’s fury is rising as calls for justice mount over flood control projects that failed to protect the province from Typhoon Tino’s
Governor Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro said the flooding that killed over a hundred people and left others missing could have been avoided if billions worth of flood control projects had been properly carried out years ago.
“I am furious sa nahitabo karon nato dire sa Sugbo. This has to be investigated. Kaning flooding nato, this could have been prevented. How come wala ‘ni nila nahimuan og paagi before?” she said.
Baricuatro blamed previous provincial administrations for neglecting long-term flood mitigation plans and said the absence of effective oversight led to Cebu’s worst flooding in recent memory.
She added that while typhoons are inevitable, the disaster’s scale exposed a failure in governance and accountability.
The governor said she intends to discuss the matter directly with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who is set to visit Cebu to assess the situation and coordinate national government assistance.
“We will discuss with President Marcos regarding sa P26 billion (flood control) funds. It’s not enough nga resilient ang mga Cebuanos. Justice has to be also looked into,” she said.
” Nganong nahitabo ‘ni karon? Tagaan ta’g hustisya ang mga Cebuano kon nganong nahitabo ang flash flood diri sa atoang province,” she added.
According to the Sumbong sa Pangulo platform, 414 flood control projects worth P26.7 billion were implemented in Cebu between 2022 and 2025.
However, despite these investments, severe flooding struck towns from Minglanilla to Danao City, submerging communities, damaging infrastructure, and displacing thousands of residents.
Baricuatro confirmed that her office has turned over documents requested by the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI 7), which is investigating the flood control projects.
The agency will submit its findings to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), a body created by President Marcos to probe corruption in major public works.
The governor also pointed to unregulated quarrying near the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) as a contributing factor, saying siltation and upland runoff worsened flash floods across Metro Cebu and neighboring towns.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon earlier said Cebu’s flood control systems “failed to function” during Typhoon Tino, describing them as “poorly planned” and “poorly executed.”
He added that effective flood prevention requires a redesign of mitigation systems, emphasizing upstream water control rather than reliance on downstream barriers.
Malacañang has since ordered a full review of more than 500 flood control projects in Cebu.
Of these, 343 were completed during the Duterte administration, while 168 were implemented from 2023 to 2025 under the Marcos administration.
