“₱26 billion of flood control funds for Cebu yet we are flooded to the max,” Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro said after Typhoon Tino left large parts of the province submerged this November 2025.
The comment echoed a question many Cebuanos have quietly asked for years: how can billions in flood-control money disappear into projects that seem invisible when the water rises?
The Mananga River Mystery
In Talisay City, one of the worst-hit areas, flood-control works were supposed to protect residents from this very scenario. The Mananga River project, handled by QM Builders and Quirante Construction Corp., carries a total budget of around ₱1.9 billion and was slated for completion in 2025. Yet as 2026 approaches, the floods in Talisay remain visible, while the supposed flood-control system is not.
The Typhoon That Tested It All
When Tino struck on November 4, heavy rain and high tide combined to overwhelm Cebu’s major waterways. In some other parts of Talisay City, homes were torn apart by surging waters.
Did Not Anticipate?
Provincial Administrator Joseph “Ace” Durano admitted that the province “did not anticipate the extent of the flooding,” but also acknowledged the obvious, the existing flood-control projects didn’t work at all.
“As far as the flood control projects (are) concerned, we can see na walang flooding na nakontrol dito. So whatever the projects they have here, it didn’t work at all,” he said.
The Big Question: Where Did the Money Go?
₱26 billion could build hundreds of kilometers of flood walls, drainage systems, and river dikes. Yet in neighborhoods like Isla Verde, those billions might as well have sunk beneath the mud. Were the projects poorly planned? Were materials substandard? Or were funds scattered too thinly across too many contracts to make a real impact? These are questions that deserve transparent, audited answers, not just press releases.
The Storm Isn’t Just in the Sky
For now, the rain has stopped, but frustration continues to pour. As audit teams move in, Cebu’s people are left with the simplest, hardest question of all, if billions have been spent to stop the floods, why are we still drowning?
