‘ASA NAMAN ANG MAYOR UG CONGRESSMAN?’: Residents bombard Lapu-Lapu City gov’t with complaints over flooding

Local

LAPU-LAPU City residents expressed dismay when a heavy downspour on Monday, Dec. 1, caused severe flooding, disrupting daily life, particularly for commuters, motorists, and households in low-lying areas.

Many residents called out the city government over the severity of the flooding, reacting to news updates on MyTV Cebu’s social media page that showed streets submerged in water and vehicles struggling to pass.

In a post showing the situation along General Aviation Road in Barangay Basak, on December 1, 2025, a netizen commented, "Asa naman ang mayor ug congressman? Unya kanu'a masolbad ang baha?"

"Manormal nalang ning baha kada-uwan. Kay wa namay budget para flood control. Louy ang pirme magub-an og sakyana o motor," another netizen lamented.

Overwhelming rain

Congressman Junard “Ahong” Chan of the city’s lone district said the morning’s rainfall was equivalent to three days of continuous normal rain, overwhelming the city’s drainage system.

“Di mabangbang ang kakusog sa gitagak nga uwan kaganiha nga bisan ang di bahaon nga mga lugar kaniadto, gisudlan na sab og tubig,” he said, describing how even areas previously considered flood-free were inundated.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) recorded 114 millimeters of rainfall in just a few hours, nearing the levels seen during Typhoon Tino, which dropped 183 millimeters of rain and caused widespread flooding.

Water rose to knee level on some streets, causing massive traffic congestion and affecting households, especially in low-lying barangays.

The flooding coincided with high tide at around 7:40 a.m., worsening the effects of the heavy rainfall.

Residents reported difficulty traveling to work or school as roads became impassable, while some homes experienced water entering their premises. Despite the chaos, no casualties were reported.

Declogging works

In a separate statement, Mayor Cindi King Chan said that the city government responded immediately.

“Our response teams were immediately deployed and are working with Barangay DRRMs and the City Engineering Office on declogging, desilting, and dewatering operations using submersible pumps,” she said.

She added that water levels in several areas, including near Grandmall Basak, were already subsiding.

The mayor added that additional equipment was requested from the Department of Public Works and Highways 6th District Engineering Office, while City Engineer Perla Amar supervised interventions on-site and traffic enforcers managed road safety.

Residents exposed to floodwaters were urged to visit barangay health centers to avail preventive measures against leptospirosis.(MyTVCebu)