Cebu City Placed Under State of Calamity Due to Massive Flooding
Cebu City was placed under a state of calamity due to the massive flooding caused by Tropical Storm Crising and enhanced habagat.
On Friday, July 18, 2025, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed the city under a state of calamity. The massive flooding causes heavy traffic jams.
Following the incident, city officials gathered to assess the damage and plan necessary actions. One major concern raised was the continued clogging of rivers and drainage systems. Among the most flood-prone areas mentioned was Tejero Creek, which has been known for overflowing during strong rains.
Traffic head Raquel Arce shared how streets like Bonifacio and Lopez Jaena often get flooded, making it hard for both motorists and emergency responders.
The Department of Engineering and Public Works personnel Engineer Lowell Corminal emphasized the need for more equipment, particularly an amphibious excavator, and additional workers to help remove mud and trash that clog the waterways.
City Engineering Office former head Engineer Jose Marie Poblete explained that job order workers play a big role in city operations. Losing even a few of them temporarily could seriously affect ongoing cleanup and maintenance work since they are the main workforce on the ground.
City Budget Office officer Mercy Della Ceballos assured that there’s enough money set aside in the Local Disaster Fund to support cleanup activities. From the P810 million allocated, there remains a huge balance that can be used to speed up desilting and declogging operations.
Mayor Nestor Archival has also instructed the immediate hiring of 35 additional workers to help with the collection of debris and other flood-related cleanup tasks. He emphasized the importance of starting the cleanup from the river mouth going upstream, and acknowledged the lack of equipment capable of handling this.
In a previous report, tropical storm Crising causes massive flooding in various parts of the Philippines
Councilor Dave Tumulak said that their team has already linked with around 60% of barangays to make the city’s disaster response more coordinated and effective.
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