The Cebu Provincial Government is set to establish two strategically located disaster storage hubs in Danao City and Sibonga town to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities across the province.
The planned hubs will serve northern and southern Cebu, respectively, according to Lt. Col. Dennis Francis Pastor (Ret.), head of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Speaking during the Hisgutan Ta! media forum on Saturday, Pastor said the facilities form part of the province’s continuing efforts to improve disaster readiness and response operations.
The provincial government has allocated P20 million for each hub, which will be built on 1,200-square-meter properties.
The warehouses will store relief goods, disaster-response equipment, and medicines requiring cold storage. They may also be utilized by local government units as additional storage facilities when needed.
Construction is expected to begin in September and be completed within six to seven months.
Aside from the storage hubs, the PDRRMO is procuring six flood boats, four rubber boats, and additional sea vessels that will function as sea ambulances and support disaster-response operations, particularly in the island municipalities of Bantayan and Camotes.
Pastor also disclosed plans to acquire a state-of-the-art drone equipped with thermal imaging and night-vision technology. The equipment will help rescuers detect heat signatures in collapsed structures and enhance search, rescue, and recovery operations, especially during nighttime and low-visibility conditions.
For 2026, the Cebu PDRRMO has a disaster fund of P473.58 million, with P140 million earmarked for disaster prevention initiatives, including infrastructure development and equipment acquisition aimed at improving the province’s preparedness and resilience against natural and man-made disasters.