A year after Typhoon Tino exposed the risks facing flood-prone communities in Cebu, the city government is considering improved flood-monitoring technology and more efficient evacuation procedures to strengthen its disaster preparedness.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said the Nov. 4, 2025 disaster revealed gaps in the city’s response capabilities, prompting officials to review their equipment, personnel and emergency measures.
“There is no such thing as being 100% prepared,” Archival said. “But what we are trying to do is identify what we can improve based on our experience with typhoons.”
One proposal involves working with neighboring local government units, including Liloan and Mandaue City, to acquire sensing devices that can detect large volumes of water moving toward downstream communities.
The technology is intended to help authorities monitor rising river levels and provide earlier warnings to residents and emergency responders before floodwaters reach populated areas.
Archival said the city is also looking into upgrading emergency equipment and improving the capacity of personnel to respond to disasters, particularly flooding.
However, he stressed that better equipment and response systems would not be enough without residents’ cooperation, especially those living near rivers and coastal areas.
He said one of the major lessons from Tino was the danger of delaying evacuation until floodwaters had already risen.
“People living along rivers and coastal areas must understand that they should not wait until the floodwaters rise before evacuating,” Archival said.
The mayor recalled that some residents were reluctant to leave their homes and move to evacuation centers until flooding had become severe, making it more difficult for authorities and rescuers to reach them as water levels continued to rise.
Tino, internationally known as Kalmaegi, struck Cebu on Nov. 4, 2025, bringing heavy rainfall that caused rivers to overflow and triggered destructive flash floods in several cities and municipalities.
Cebu City, Talisay City, Liloan, Compostela and Danao City were among the areas affected, with floodwaters inundating residential communities and damaging homes and infrastructure.
Archival said the city must also honor those who died and recognize the efforts of responders who helped communities during the disaster.
He thanked rescuers, national government agencies and local government units that extended assistance to Cebu City during the emergency.
📷 Kaiser Jan Fuentes
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