Six months after Typhoon Tino devastated Cebu City’s upland barangays, dozens of displaced families remain inside evacuation centers, prompting a push in the City Council for faster permanent housing.
Councilor Harold Kendrick Go has filed a resolution urging the city government to prioritize and fast-track housing projects for affected residents in Barangays Budlaan, Bacayan, and Pit-os.
The measure noted that several families have stayed for months in barangay gyms, enduring cramped conditions and limited privacy while waiting for relocation.
“Each passing day in prolonged displacement deepens the hardship of these families, exposing them, particularly children, the elderly, and persons with vulnerabilities, to health risks, emotional distress, and a growing sense of uncertainty and despair,” the resolution stated.
It added that access to safe housing goes beyond basic services and is tied to dignity and recovery after disasters.
“Access to safe, secure, and adequate housing is not merely a service but a fundamental human need that restores dignity, strengthens families, and rebuilds communities after disaster,” it said.
The resolution urged the Office of the Mayor, through the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), to prioritize and expedite the construction of permanent housing units for affected families.
Go also requested a time-bound action plan within 15 days detailing relocation steps, funding, and implementation timelines.
The proposal further called for coordination with national agencies, civil society groups, and the private sector to speed up housing delivery and strengthen recovery efforts.
It also stressed that relocation sites must include access to utilities, livelihood opportunities, and basic services to support long-term community rebuilding.
Typhoon Tino struck Cebu in early November 2025, displacing thousands of residents in upland Cebu City barangays and damaging homes in Budlaan, Bacayan, and Pit-os, where floodwaters reportedly reached second-floor levels in some areas. (LLP)
Photo by Jacq Hernandez, PBB Photojournalist
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