The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has launched an investigation into Cebu’s flood control projects following the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino, which left at least 139 people dead.
Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon confirmed that a team has been dispatched to assess the projects that failed to prevent widespread flooding despite billions of pesos spent over the past decade.
“It’s clear the flood control projects over the past 10 years in Cebu were not effective,” Dizon said in Filipino during a dzMM interview. He added that heavy rainfall cannot be used as an excuse for the structural failures. “You can’t make an excuse just because of heavy rains and strong typhoons. A lot of our citizens lost their homes, as well as their lives.”
The DPWH has submitted to the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) a full list of flood control projects for review. Dizon said some contractors appeared to have profited from substandard works instead of ensuring the safety of communities.
The Office of the Ombudsman has also formed a special task force to prioritize the Cebu investigation, saying in a statement that “justice will be pursued with compassion, diligence, and resolve.” The office is separately investigating allegedly fictitious and substandard flood control projects in Bulacan, Oriental Mindoro, La Union, and Davao Occidental.
House Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio linked the disaster to misuse of unprogrammed appropriations (UA), calling them a “slush fund for corruption.” He said Cebu alone had 102 UA-funded projects worth ₱8.43 billion between 2023 and 2024, yet communities remained defenseless.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and environmental experts have called for scrutiny of major developments such as Monterrazas de Cebu, citing possible impacts on flooding through altered watersheds and drainage systems.
Economist Winnie Monsod, speaking on One News PH’s Storycon, urged Filipinos to maintain pressure on the government to ensure accountability and reforms. “If no one will complain, make noise, nothing will happen here in the Philippines,” she said.
