Bridge Collapse Isolates Upland Communities After Typhoon Tino
The devastating impact of Typhoon Tino has left Barangay Lusaran and surrounding upland communities in Cebu City struggling with isolation and delayed relief operations following the collapse of a critical bridge and multiple landslides blocking mountain roads.
Mayor Nestor Archival's response team managed to reach Lusaran on Saturday, November 8, 2025, but encountered significant obstacles in delivering comprehensive assistance due to the extensive infrastructure damage.
Critical Infrastructure Damage
The collapsed Lusaran Bridge has become the primary bottleneck, preventing heavy equipment and emergency vehicles from reaching affected areas. Mayor Archival emphasized the severity of the situation, stating that the bridge failure has severely complicated rescue and relief efforts for stranded residents.
Compounding the crisis, Lusaran - which normally supplies 20 million liters of water daily to Cebu City - has suffered catastrophic damage to its utility infrastructure. Both power and water lines are completely down, with officials estimating that service restoration may take approximately 15 days.
Emergency Response and Road Clearing Operations
The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) have launched an intensive clearing operation, deploying additional payloaders, backhoes, chainsaws, and hauling trucks to remove debris and reopen blocked interior roads.
Emergency crews are simultaneously working to stabilize landslide-prone slopes to prevent further erosion and additional road closures. Mayor Archival has prioritized clearing critical chokepoints leading to isolated sitios, emphasizing that restoring safe access remains the city's top priority before full-scale relief distribution can begin.
Road Accessibility Updates
According to the DEPW's Post-Typhoon Road Accessibility Map, several key mountain routes have been successfully reopened, including most sections of the Transcentral Highway, the Paril-Cambinocot-Lusaran corridor, and Sitio Burgos in Pulangbato.
However, significant challenges remain in upland areas where multiple roads remain completely impassable. Major roadblocks persist in:
- Tabunan (near Manggaulgon)
- Adlaon (Sitio Latom)
- Bonbon (Sitio Marga)
- Pung-ol Sibugay (Sitio Sig-ak)
The road section near Buot Bridge in Buot-Taup also remains closed, while roads in Barangay Mabini and access routes to Buot-Taup are only partially passable, restricting traffic to motorcycles and light vehicles.
Widespread Impact and Relief Efforts
Parallel to infrastructure repairs, the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) has deployed multiple assessment teams to validate damages and distribute essential aid in the hardest-hit barangays.
As of noon on Friday, November 7, 2025, CDRRMO data revealed the typhoon's extensive reach: 9,193 families or 34,668 individuals across 80 barangays have been affected by Typhoon Tino.
The storm, which made landfall on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, has caused an estimated ₱1.2 billion in housing damage throughout Cebu City, affecting thousands of families and creating an urgent need for shelter assistance.
With ongoing relief operations and infrastructure repairs, Cebu City officials continue to work against time to restore access and provide essential services to isolated communities still reeling from Typhoon Tino's destructive path.
