For years, Cebu has battled recurring floods, with heavy rains and typhoons leaving homes submerged, roads damaged, and public infrastructure in disarray. Despite comprehensive flood control plans on paper, gaps in execution have allowed the waters to keep rising. 

Now, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is pushing to fast-track the implementation of the Cebu flood control masterplan from the previous administration, aiming to finally turn plans into action and prevent severe flooding in the province.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said Wednesday the department will consult former Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, citing his familiarity with the masterplan, and coordinate with key agencies, including the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), to ensure proper execution.

Developed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency from 2013 to 2017 during Singson’s term, the master plan aims to enhance flood control and water resource management across Cebu. 

“We took the guidance of Secretary Singson because he is more familiar with the master plan from the previous administrations. As he said: ‘The plans are already there, they just need to be implemented, but they were not implemented correctly,’” Dizon said.

Dizon clarified that the master plan itself does not require revisions, as it already contains the necessary steps and directives for proper implementation. 

“Nothing needs to be planned, nothing needs to be studied because everything is already in the plan,” he said.

The urgency of implementing the masterplan was made starkly clear by typhoon “Tino,” which claimed at least 188 lives nationwide, including 135 in Cebu. 

The DPWH is simultaneously investigating alleged ghost and unfinished flood control projects, as Secretary Dizon vowed to hold the agency accountable and ensure that funds — historically devouring up to one-third of its budget — are actually put to effective use.