What Dumaguete Can Learn from the Flooding of Cebu City?

 

What Dumaguete Can Learn from the Flooding of Cebu City?

What Dumaguete Can Learn from the Flooding of Cebu City?

It won’t be long before Dumaguete starts to suffer the same problem Cebu City is facing now. While I’m writing this article, heavy rains have caused floods in some areas of Cebu City. Rainwater entered houses, shopping centers, and business establishments. It was indeed a commuter’s worst nightmare—especially for those who still had to report to work.

This is not the first time that Cebu City has experienced rising water levels. Flooding has become a recurring issue in the Queen City of the South, as it has in many other growing cities in the Philippines.

But why should Dumaguete be concerned about what’s happening in Cebu now?

Waist-high floods have not yet reached Dumaguete City, but they could if nothing is done by government officials. In recent years, heavy rains have caused drainage canals to overflow, flooding the streets with water about a foot high. This has occurred in at least three places: the Brix intersection, the NOHS intersection, and the Mangnao highway.

Why is Dumaguete starting to flood?

I can identify two causes that contribute to this problem:

First, Dumaguete has a poor drainage system with little to no regular maintenance. Drainage systems are not interconnected, and there are no clear outlets for water to flow—either to the ocean or a treatment facility. The area near our house is a perfect example. The canal beside our house has no culvert connecting it to the canal across the street, which should ideally direct water to the ocean. We are probably just a few years away from experiencing devastating floods. Additionally, I haven’t seen any regular maintenance on these canals. Desilting should be a routine activity for storm and drainage canals. These should be cleaned at least twice a year—once after the dry season and again after the rainy season, ideally in May and November. 

The city usually only acts when flooding has already occurred due to blocked canals. 

We can’t blame a single politician, as this has been the pattern for many years. A proactive mindset has not yet reached our city officials.

Second, Dumaguete is growing into a highly urbanized city. About a decade ago, the city primarily relied on its universities as its main source of income. But now, it has expanded with several establishments providing jobs, thereby increasing the population. Aside from being known as the university capital of Negros Oriental, Dumaguete might soon be called the call center capital as well. The BPO industry is rapidly growing. Furthermore, large housing projects in Dumaguete and neighboring towns have become home to many families.

So, what does this mean?

It means that much of the land within the city has been transformed into housing and commercial areas. Natural streams and rivers that once channeled floodwater into the ocean are no longer present. In their place stand houses and large buildings. As a result—similar to the drainage concerns mentioned earlier—the city now lacks natural pathways for excess water to escape during heavy rains.

Lastly, most of the politicians who have served in office are either lawyers or businessmen. While they are competent in crafting laws that support economic growth, they often lack the engineering background needed to address real-life infrastructure problems. Many lack the foresight to plan long-term infrastructure solutions. This may be the time for engineers to step up and take leadership roles in the city.

What can Dumaguete do differently?

Dumaguete can learn from the struggles of other growing cities. It should avoid the pain of learning through its own mistakes. The impact of heavy rains on poorly designed cities can be devastating—affecting businesses and making daily life difficult for many.

The City Council of Dumaguete, as of this year 2025, should begin developing a flood control system. This includes improving the current drainage infrastructure, addressing areas with stagnant water flow, and regularly cleaning canals to remove dirt and garbage. The city must abandon the reactive mindset of cleaning canals only after flooding occurs.

To the government officials of Dumaguete: may your actions and plans show genuine care for the residents who have helped this city of gentle people to grow.

Preparing to fight floods is neither simple nor easy. But if we cultivate a solution-based mindset, we can begin to build a future—a future where Dumaguete is free from flooding.

I sincerely hope that my simple article reaches the City Officials of Dumaguete and their City Engineers. Please include a concrete plan to build a flood control system for our beloved city.