A YEAR after typhoon Tino killed 143 people and devastated communities across Cebu, the Province faces at least P11.174 billion in rehabilitation needs, with several priority infrastructure projects still undergoing procurement.
The Cebu Provincial Government reported spending nearly P300 million on recovery efforts in 2026, but officials could not provide a breakdown of the funding commitments from National Government agencies and local government units (LGUs).
At a briefing Wednesday, Nov. 4, Provincial Government representative Aldwin Empaces said the recovery assessment was a joint undertaking led by the Office of Civil Defense 7, with national agencies and LGUs participating.
Empaces said P11.174 billion is needed in recovery requirements under the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment, covering housing, schools, health centers and other needs.
He emphasized that the assessment covered the overall recovery needs of affected communities, not just the Provincial Government’s financial responsibility.
“Joint gyud ni siya,” Empaces said. (It was a joint undertaking.)
While the assessment will guide government budget priorities, officials did not specify how much funding other agencies and LGUs have committed or how much of the overall rehabilitation program remains unfunded.
Bridges still awaiting work
Of the Capitol’s reported recovery expenditures, P206.6 million was identified for infrastructure projects in Compostela and Balamban, although the amount represents project allocations rather than necessarily completed spending.
In Compostela, five spillways are to be upgraded into flat-slab bridges at a combined cost of P104.6 million. Another P59.9 million is allocated for the Gimbal-Dapdap Road project.
In Balamban, the Dakit and Luca bridge projects have a combined allocation of P42.1 million.
A year after Tino, procurement remains unfinished for some of the seven priority bridge projects intended to restore access to upland communities.
In an Oct. 9 report, SunStar Cebu found that only two of the five Compostela bridge projects had undergone bidding, while the remaining three were scheduled for procurement that month.
During Wednesday’s briefing, Empaces said a contract had been awarded for the Dakit Bridge retrofitting project in Balamban.
The Luca Bridge project, however, remains unawarded after its first bidding failed. A second bidding is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Provincial Engineering Office head Hector Jamora had earlier attributed delays to technical reassessments, redesign requirements and the diversion of engineering personnel to emergency response following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Sept. 30, 2025.
The bridge designs also had to comply with updated parameters from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In Barangay Mulao, Compostela, the Province is opening a 300-meter road section under a P15-million project that includes slope protection.
Jamora said the road opening could be completed by mid- to late November, with concreting targeted to begin in January 2027. The alignment was adjusted to improve resilience during heavy rains.
Billions in damage
The recovery figures presented in the provincial situation dashboard identify several major infrastructure requirements, including P2.3 billion for roads, P1.9 billion for bridges and footbridges, P1 billion for schools, P737 million for slope protection and P137 million for barangay health centers.
Empaces said rehabilitation plans would incorporate climate-resilient designs rather than merely restore damaged infrastructure to its previous condition.
The proposed 2027 provincial budget includes recovery and resilience investments in infrastructure, health, agriculture and other sectors, although officials did not specify the total amount earmarked for Tino-related projects.
The Capitol also reported P142.25 million in housing assistance for 14,238 families whose homes were damaged by Tino. Each qualified household was entitled to P10,000.
Balamban recorded the most beneficiaries with 4,363, followed by Talisay City with 4,207 and Mandaue City with 1,133.
The provincial disaster management dashboard also listed P100 million released to the Province for road repair and rehabilitation in Tabogon.
Beyond rebuilding
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Dennis Pastor said the Province was pursuing flood mitigation strategies combining engineered structures with nature-based solutions.
The approach involves slowing runoff upstream, retaining water in midstream areas and improving drainage downstream.
Pastor said the Province was coordinating with academic institutions and other experts to develop measures addressing flooding, drought and landslides.
The disaster office has also conducted five batches of climate and disaster risk assessment training for municipal disaster officers and planning personnel.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office reported that flooding during Tino damaged equipment at the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Danao City, requiring replacements and assistance from other provincial hospitals.
Provincial health officer II Sheila Faciol said 528 leptospirosis cases were reported following the typhoon, comprising 504 probable and 24 confirmed cases. The Province distributed 566,874 doses of doxycycline to LGUs as part of its response.
Faciol said efforts to prepare the Province’s 16 hospitals for future disasters include strengthening medicine supplies, staffing and equipment.
One year after Tino, the central challenge remains translating multibillion-peso recovery requirements into funded, completed projects before another destructive storm strikes Cebu. / CDF
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