Cebu City eyes P15 million drainage master plan for 2025

A photo taken along Osmeña Boulevard on the rainy afternoon of August 1 when a strong downpour hit Cebu City. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City is setting its sights on a comprehensive drainage master plan as part of its ongoing efforts to combat persistent flooding.

The estimated budget allocation would be P10 million to P15 million for the project’s initial study in 2025.

Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said there was a need to develop a master plan to replace the city’s outdated and ineffective drainage infrastructure.

He pointed out that the current drainage projects were scattered and lacked a clear plan.

Garcia noted that previous proposals for a drainage master plan were no longer suitable for the city’s evolving needs, thus the need for a more modernized approach.

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The city has been in discussions with Dr. Danilo Jaque, a consultant for the Task Force Gubat sa Baha, to spearhead the development of this master plan.

Once finalized, Garcia said, the plan would align the city’s various drainage initiatives, including those undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

To fund the master plan study, the acting mayor is eyeing a budget of P10 million to P15 million, which may be included in the 2025 annual budget.

“I will include it pa in the project for 2025, unless I can find a budget for 2024, asa nako ma-charge,” he said.

(I will include still include the project for 2025, unless I can find a budget for 2024, where I can charge it.)

Garcia did not rule out the possibility of allocating funds sooner if a viable budget source would be identified for 2024.

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On August 13, City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, announced that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) allocated P2 billion for flood control measures in Cebu City.

The budget is part of the Program of Works and Estimates (POWE) and includes the construction of transitory homes for informal settlers displaced by the clearing of waterways and the installation of gabion dams.

These dams, along with additional mini-dams planned for upland areas, aim to reduce water runoff and alleviate flooding in low-lying regions.

Guardo noted that several sites have been identified for these mini-dams, which would be expected to have a capacity comparable to that of the Buhisan Dam.

Earlier this year, an executive session revealed a funding requirement of P8.2 billion for the full implementation of a citywide drainage system.

The ongoing projects, which include significant improvements to the Lahug, Guadalupe, Kinalumsan, and Bulacao Rivers, are integral components of this larger plan, with budgets ranging from P573 million to P1.2 billion.

Garcia further stressed that the city’s master plan would ensure that all drainage systems would be integrated into a single, comprehensive network, addressing both current and future flood control needs across Cebu City.