Cebu City Council approves release of P41 million for river desilting

Local

FLOOD-hit Cebu City is banking on a P41-million river rehabilitation project to keep rising waters at bay.

On Tuesday, September 2, the Cebu City Council approved a resolution authorizing the release of P41 million from the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) Trust Fund to finance large-scale desilting of rivers and waterways across the city.

The resolution, authored by Councilor Dave Tumulak, was endorsed by the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC) and supported by the Office of the City Administrator.

“Based on the recommendation of the Department of Engineering and Public Works, silted na kaayo atong mga rivers so mag-desilting gamit ang pondo sa LDRRMF. This is part of our preventive and mitigating measures against future flooding,” Tumulak said.

The P41 million will be charged to the trust fund The City Treasurer’s Office has issued a Certificate of Availability of Funds to cover the amount.

The council’s move comes on the heels of severe flooding on July 16, which led to a state of calamity declaration and the release of P15 million from the Quick Response Fund (QRF) for immediate declogging.

Mayor Nestor Archival earlier pointed to garbage and silt buildup in major rivers, such as Estero de Parian, MJ Cuenco River, and Tagunol, as the primary cause of the flooding. He said the city is considering renting amphibious desilting machines to fast-track rehabilitation.

“I was in Colon during that heavy downpour—makita gyud nimo basura. Mao nga gi-instructionan sa mayor ang public services and barangays to strictly enforce the city ordinance on garbage segregation,” Tumulak added.

A 2025 river assessment by the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) described many city rivers as “heavily polluted,” particularly Guadalupe, Lahug, Mahiga, and Bulacao. The study cited household waste, untreated wastewater, and organic debris as the biggest culprits.

Some headwaters, such as the Cotcot River, remain clean and ecologically sound, but CCENRO warned that without strong protection, they too could deteriorate.

With the P41-million allocation, the Department of Engineering and Public Works will implement the river rehabilitation project.

Tumulak emphasized that the project is designed not just for cleanup, but to reduce the city’s long-term vulnerability to flooding.(TGP)