The Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH 7) has partnered with the University of San Carlos Water Resources Center Foundation Inc. (USCWRCFI) to refine a multi-billion-peso flood mitigation dam proposal for key river systems in Cebu. This initiative follows the severe devastation caused by Typhoon Tino on November 4, 2025.
Collaboration and Objectives
Assistant Regional Director Nonato Paylado announced on Monday, May 18, 2026, that the agency is working closely with the USCWRCFI to draft project profiles for major river systems. Each river project is initially estimated to cost around P1 billion and aims to minimize water runoff and control downstream flooding. Paylado described the initial feedback from local government units and academic institutions as fruitful.
The USCWRCFI provides technical services focused on water management and sustainability, including conservation strategies and water-efficient solutions for communities and governments.
“This will be the first dam in Cebu that will be handled by the DPWH. We are not yet skilled or experienced; we are still learning, so we need help and assistance from different sectors,” Paylado said in a mix of Cebuano and English. He noted that previous dam projects were handled by the National Irrigation Administration.
The proposal was conceptualized by DPWH 7 Director Simon Arias after repeated flooding incidents in Metro Cebu communities.
River Systems Covered
The proposed network covers major river systems across the province, including the Mananga River in Talisay City; the Bulacao, Guadalupe, Kinalumsan, and Lusaran rivers in Cebu City; the Butuanon River in Mandaue City; the Cansaga River in Consolacion and Mandaue; the Cotcot River in Compostela and Liloan; and the Danao River in Danao City.
Stored water from the dams may also augment domestic water supply, support irrigation, recharge underground water systems, and improve vegetation and forest growth.
Government Support
Governor Pamela Baricuatro has expressed support for the proposal, citing the need for reservoirs that can store excess rainwater for future droughts. The upcoming feasibility study will assess several components before civil works can begin.
Feasibility Study Components
Paylado said the study will examine social accessibility, including community response and possible relocation concerns; environmental impact and nature-based alternatives; technical specifications such as exact locations, dimensions, and dam heights; financial models and funding sources, including possible Public-Private Partnerships; and hydrological mapping using field data, drone shots, maps, and geotagged coordinates.
Primary Purpose
USCWRCFI Executive Director Maria Nenita Juamo-as clarified that the dams are primarily intended to reduce runoff water and control downstream flooding, not serve as a definitive long-term water supply solution. Juamo-as emphasized that any contribution to domestic water supply remains secondary.
Funding and Timeline
DPWH 7 aims to submit the refined project profiles to the Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 Secretariat within two weeks after its initial submission was deemed insufficient. If endorsed, the agency hopes the projects will secure funding under the 2027 national infrastructure budget, whose National Expenditure Program draft is expected by the third quarter of 2026.
The agency also plans to cluster requests for the feasibility study, detailed engineering design, and eventual civil works to secure simultaneous funding.
Paylado said the agency initially used a baseline height of 15 meters to estimate costs, but the final size, height, and location of the dams will depend on the feasibility study results.
Short-Term Measures
Because projects of this scale may take years to complete, DPWH 7 urged local government units to strictly enforce safety boundaries in flood-prone areas. Paylado warned that recent heavy rains showed rivers reclaiming their natural pathways, turning populated areas into danger zones.
For immediate relief, DPWH 7 is focusing on short-term mitigation measures, including repairs to damaged flood control structures and desilting operations near river outfalls to prevent high-tide backflows.
