CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — With only weeks left before 2025 ends, the Cebu provincial government admitted it can no longer afford to face another major calamity as its disaster funds have been exhausted.
Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces confirmed that only ₱170 million remains from Cebu’s ₱1-billion Calamity and Disaster Fund for the year.
He said the fund had been significantly depleted by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in September and Typhoon Tino in November.
“Mag ampo nalang jud nga wala na’y laing bagyo this December kay kung naa pa murag…kay di’ na kaya,” said Empaces.
Empaces mentioned that the remaining ₱170 million is anticipated to cover necessary expenses only until the end of 2025. He explained that if the funds are fully depleted again, the province will have no option but to utilize its regular budget for future disaster-related costs.
Currently the Capitol is working in a “three-fold pacing” strategy to manage its ongoing rehabilitation, relief operations, and recovery programs.
These cover assistance for families displaced by the earthquake, as well as those heavily affected by Typhoon Tino.
Empaces also disclosed that donations for Typhoon Tino have already been fully consumed. A total of ₱57 million in assistance— including contributions from the Office of the President and private donors was immediately spent on relief needs.
“Ang nagasto nato is around 110 million kay dagko kaayo’g scope sa relief operations. Hygiene Kits, Sleeping Kits, and food packs, bugas, hot meals,” he shared.
Compounding the concern, several LGUs have reportedly exhausted their Quick Response Funds (QRF) after successive disasters.
What is calamity fund?
Cebu’s calamity funds include both the Calamity Fund under the national budget and the mandatory percentage of disaster preparedness allocation from the Province’s National Tax Allotment (NTA).
In disaster budgeting, 30 percent of the Calamity Fund automatically serves as Quick Response Fund, while the rest is for preparedness, relief, recovery, and rehabilitation.
From previous articles of The Freeman, there was about ₱1 billion in unused disaster preparedness funds that had quietly accumulated in the provincial government when Governor Pamela Baricuatro first assumed office.
Provincial Budget Officer Danilo Roda has also clarified that ₱628 million previously unused from disaster allocations has already been transferred to the trust fund. An additional ₱360 million from the Provincial General Fund for disaster risk reduction.
Combined, the idle disaster funds reached to over ₱1 billion. This is the calamity fund that the Capitol has been using this year—and is now close to being fully depleted.
Cebu is expected to receive a fresh calamity allocation by 2026, projected at around ₱300 million.
Other efforts
Empaces stressed that if Cebu wanted to recover quickly, they need the support from the national government.
He said the province is preparing a list of required national assistance to speed up rehabilitation efforts.
Baricuatro is expected to lobby in the coming days for a ₱1-billion rehabilitation package for quake-hit northern Cebu. She earlier said rebuilding and recovery efforts from both disasters will continue throughout 2026.
Before 2025 ends
PAGASA projected that the country may still experience two to three tropical cyclones in November and one to two more in December.
The state weather bureau’s forecast for 2025 indicates that up to 17 tropical cyclones may enter or form within the Philippine Area of Responsibility before January 2026.
Following Supertyphoon Uwan in PAGASA’s naming list, the next possible cyclones include Verbena, Wilma, Yasmin, and Zoraida.
PAGASA said atmospheric conditions over the Pacific remain favorable for cyclone formation.
Typhoon Tino, internationally known as Kalmaegi, was one of the disasters that brought severe devastation to the province, leaving 108 people dead, 44 missing, and thousands more injured.
Meanwhile, authorities have confirmed that 72 people have died after the 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Cebu on September 30.
Rescue teams have completed their operations, and officials report that no missing-person cases remain, allowing responders to fully focus on rehabilitation efforts.
The earthquake, which hit offshore near Bogo City, severely damaged structures across northern Cebu, collapsing homes and disrupting infrastructure.
Earlier, The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) assured that these tremors will gradually taper off by December.
Last October 19, it was reported that the agency recorded 12,704 aftershocks.
| Written by Jonnavie Villa
