Still no power, water in Tino-hit Cebu City barangays

Local

FOUR days after Typhoon Tino battered Cebu, mountain barangays in the city remain isolated and without water.

City officials push for urgent repairs to damaged bridges and utility lines that have stalled relief and recovery operations.

Acting Vice Mayor Winston Pepito said on Thursday, Nov. 6, that several upland communities remain cut off from basic services, with residents in some areas still without food, clean water, and electricity.

“Nag-focus ko diri sa Bacayan kay ang Bacayan mao may hardly hit sa typhoon. So nag-focus ko’s Bacayan, Pulangbato, Binaliw, Lusaran, ug Pardo,” Pepito told reporters.

He added, “Sa Bacayan, naa nay hinabang niabot didto, ug naa nay kuryente sa evacuation centers. Pero sa Binaliw, wala pa gyud pagkaon, tubig mao gyud na akong concern.”

Pepito, who presided over the City Council’s session earlier this week, said it was only now that he was able to personally inspect the affected mountain barangays.

“Walay tubig, kuryente, maoy problema sa bukid. Ang supplies okay sa Bacayan, pero ang problema gyud ang tubig,” he added.

Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. has written to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) seeking the immediate construction of temporary bridges in Barangays Binaliw 2, Buot, and Lusaran, which suffered severe damage during the typhoon.

In his letter dated Nov. 6, 2025, addressed to DPWH Regional Director Danilo J. Villa Jr., Archival said the destruction of the bridges rendered the areas impassable, hampering the delivery of relief goods and the transport of residents needing assistance.

“The subject bridges serve as critical access points connecting residents to essential services, including emergency response, relief distribution, and transport of goods and supplies,” the mayor stated.

“Given the urgency of restoring accessibility and ensuring the mobility of affected residents, the City Government respectfully requests the immediate construction of temporary bridges or any viable provisional passageways in the area.”

Archival assured that the city, through the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) and Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), is ready to assist with manpower and logistics to expedite the project.

“Recovery may take time, but rest assured that the City Government stands with you every step of the way,” Archival said in a statement. “Magpadayon ug magdungan kita sa pagbangon, Sugbo!”

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) continues to face major challenges in restoring water supply in Cebu City and neighboring areas, after multiple pipelines and facilities sustained extensive damage due to flooding and landslides triggered by Typhoon Tino.

MCWD said repair works are ongoing at the Jaclupan Wellfield Facility in Talisay City, where an 800-mm main pipeline collapsed along the Mananga River.

The repair, expected to be completed within five days, is critical to restoring water to large parts of southern Cebu City, including Bulacao, Pardo, Inayawan, Basak San Nicolas, Duljo-Fatima, and Pasil, among others.

A separate 400-mm steel pipeline at the Buhisan Dam and transmission lines along Panganiban Bridge in Colon Street were also damaged by flooding, cutting off supply to Labangon, Tisa, Banawa, Punta Princesa, Mambaling, and Pahina San Nicolas.

In its Nov. 5 update, MCWD said that 52 percent of its total water production has been restored, or about 143,500 cubic meters out of 275,000 cubic meters daily capacity. Seven of eight wells in the Canduman Wellfield are now operational, while efforts to power up wells in Casili and Liloan are ongoing, dependent on VECO’s clearing operations.

Four out of sixteen wells in Liloan and five out of seven in Lagtang, Talisay City, have also resumed operation using generator sets.

“MCWD is exerting all efforts to restore full water service and ensure a reliable, clean, and efficient water supply for all consumers,” the water district said.

According to the CCDRRMO’s Situation Report No. 2 as of 9 a.m. on November 6, Typhoon Tino displaced over 15,700 individuals across Cebu City, forcing 2,639 families to take shelter in 75 evacuation centers.

The city recorded 19 deaths out of 30 casualties so far.

Among the most affected were upland communities in Barangays Bacayan, Binaliw, Pulangbato, and Lusaran, where roads and bridges remain blocked by landslides and flood debris, slowing down relief efforts.

The Visayan Electric Company reported that as of Thursday morning, 67 percent of the power supply in Metro Cebu has been restored, with full normalization expected “in the coming days.”

Many MCWD pumps and treatment facilities remain dependent on electricity, further delaying water distribution in highland barangays.

Despite the hurdles, Archival vowed continued government support for all affected communities.

“Mountain barangays, help is on the way,” he said. “Let us move forward together as one community.”

Typhoon Tino, which exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday, left a trail of destruction across Cebu, toppling power lines, flooding rivers, and isolating several upland villages that now face a prolonged wait for recovery.(TGP)