Only 20 percent of the 20-year-old Cebu City Comprehensive Drainage Master Plan has been completed.

Cebu City acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia told Daily Tribune, "We are already doing a lot of things...it's not an overnight solution. The volume of rain has tripled, but our existing drainage system is still from the '90s."

"We are looking at a master plan...a master drainage plan for the City of Cebu that will cost billions," he added.

The acting mayor said the master drainage plan, deemed by many as long overdue, includes building gabion dams or mini dams in upland areas to control water flow. These structures aim to lower flooding risk by capturing excess rainwater and releasing it slowly, preventing it from overwhelming the current drainage systems.

In 2004, Cebu City devised a comprehensive Drainage Master Plan to restore major waterways to their original depth, width, and length. This plan targeted several rivers, including Bulacao, Guadalupe, Hipodromo, Kinalumsan, Lahug, Linao, Parian, Subangdaku, and Tejero.

Flooding fears were raised anew after Metro Manila and Luzon areas experienced severe flooding during Typhoon Carina. During his State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the implementation of more than 5,500 flood control projects.

Garcia disclosed that his office is now negotiating with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for a possible impounding dam project. "We are discussing with NIA on a P1 billion dam project that can be built in Lusaran," Garcia told Daily Tribune in an interview.

He also mentioned discussions with Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) chairman Lawyer Jose Daluz III about funding an impounding dam on MCWD's property at Family Park in Banilad, Cebu City. Daluz confirmed this and added that about 3 hectares at Family Park could be utilized for a dam, estimating the cost at P300 million. Garcia suggested funding the project in phases, with each phase requiring P100 million.

The Unified Project Management Office-Flood Control Management Cluster (UPMO-FCMC) revealed that approximately P8.2 billion is needed to complete various projects across rivers. In January, UPMO-FCMC reported that at least 18 projects remain unimplemented under this fund requirement. These include improvements to the Drainage Main to Hipodromo River, Subangdaku River, Hipodromo Creek, Lahug River, and several other critical drainage improvements and restorations.