DPWH admits 'oversight' in Cebu City flood control project

Local

A FLOOD control project meant to protect Cebu City from rising waters has stirred a storm of its own by burying the very mangroves that help guard the city against floods.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) admitted that portions of a government drainage project in Barangay Cogon Pardo were constructed without securing the legally required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

This resulted in the burial of at least nine mangrove trees and triggered mounting backlash from city officials.

The admission came during a recent executive session of the Cebu City Council following the issuance of a cease-and-desist order (CDO) by Acting Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros last week, which halted the controversial project.

“We want to apologize if this happened,” said Engineer Gemuel Talingting of the DPWH Cebu City District Engineering Office.

“Also, to CCENRO and DENR, nga there was no clearance yet… Our office wanted to correct too what happened,” he added.

Talingting called the lack of clearance an “oversight,” attributing it to the agency’s push for the “timely delivery of infrastructure.”

He said the project was intended to address flooding in low-lying barangays such as Inayawan and San Nicolas, and prevent further encroachment by private developers.

But in their rush to implement the project, DPWH inadvertently crossed into a mangrove-protected area, without permits, planning adjustments, or environmental safeguards.

“Probably, naligsan gyud ang uban [processes]… to the point nga murag na-bypass na namo ang uban nga processes,” Talingting told councilors.

The project’s access road, used to transport heavy equipment, was built directly over a mangrove zone, without approval from DENR or the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO).

The impacted mangroves now fall under the review of environmental agencies for possible violations of multiple laws, including Republic Act 8550 (Philippine Fisheries Code), Presidential Decree 705, and Cebu City Ordinance 2115, which all prohibit the unauthorized disturbance of mangrove ecosystems.

Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera lashed out at the DPWH’s explanation, accusing the agency of evading responsibility.

“Mura kag feeling victim. Ang pakasad-on ang laing tawo, wa nimo nakita ang inyong own sala,” she said, referring to DPWH’s attempts to shift blame to delays in the permitting process.

“Nagdali man kaha mo, nganong wa man nimo na-submit sa inyong silingan?” she added, noting that the environment office is right next to DPWH’s.

“Late ka for six months… Feeling victim gihapon,” Pesquera said.

Pesquera emphasized that even a single damaged mangrove is a criminal offense under environmental laws.

“It does not mean nga magpaspas ta, mu-violate na ta og balaod,” she said.

CCENRO team leader Juan Pablo Yao confirmed that nine mangrove trees were already buried, and warned that similar violations were found in another DPWH project in the same barangay. His office is preparing to issue a second cease-and-desist order.

“We should be thankful that we noticed our mangroves before they were completely covered,” Yao said, citing a similar incident in Mandaue City where mangrove roots were buried, causing the trees to die.

Yao also stressed Cebu City’s vulnerability, with fewer than 20 hectares of mangrove cover remaining, compared to Mandaue’s 70 hectares, making every tree critical to flood mitigation and coastal protection.

He noted that even access roads require proper environmental clearances when passing through ecologically sensitive zones.

Talingting proposed that the affected mangroves be salvaged through “earth-balling,” a complex method of transplanting trees that itself requires an ECC.

But city officials countered that while none of the trees have died yet, the project has already caused significant environmental disruption.

Councilor Francis Esparis asked whether the project could have been reconfigured to avoid mangrove areas. However, Yao responded that basic planning and coordination could have prevented the violations.(TGP)