Cebu Governor Seeks Accountability for ₱26-B Flood Control Projects After Deadly Typhoon Tino

There must be accountability and justice for the deaths of more than a hundred people and the destruction of property caused by Typhoon Tino.

Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said officials and contractors involved in the more than ₱26-billion flood control projects must be held responsible for their failure to protect the residents of Cebu Province.

Baricuatro described the widespread flooding in her province as the “deadliest in years.”

She showed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the extent of the devastation along the Mananga River in Talisay City, where floods had washed away nearly all the houses in the area.

“It’s not enough that Cebuanos are resilient. Justice must also be served. Why did this happen? The people of Cebu deserve justice for the flash floods that struck our province,” Baricuatro said.

A heated exchange ensued between former Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia and Baricuatro over where and how the ₱26-billion flood control budget for Cebu was spent.

Garcia explained that the funds were channeled through the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), not the Cebu Provincial Government, during her term.

However, Baricuatro countered that while it is true the funds were handled by the DPWH, that does not mean the province had no involvement.

“Yes, flood control funds go directly to the DPWH, not the province—but that doesn’t mean it does not find its way to you,” Baricuatro said.

Garcia, meanwhile, maintained that the DPWH distributed the projects across Cebu’s eight congressional districts.