In Cebu City, contractors of upcoming DPWH flood control projects will soon be required to sign a commitment ensuring accountability for delays and damages.
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — All contractors of future flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Cebu City will soon be required to submit an undertaking of commitment, making them accountable for damages and delays in project completion.
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said contractors who fail to submit the required undertaking will not be issued a permit to proceed.
This measure, Archival explained, is necessary since the city government currently has no hold over DPWH contractors, as they report directly to the agency.
“Kay ang nahitabo karon, wa man tay hold sa mga contractor, hangyo raman ta,” said Archival, stressing that delays have left the city government helpless.
The mayor recalled that at least 21 flood control projects were recorded in Cebu City for 2025. Some have already been implemented, while others were ordered on hold or asked to fast-track completion.
“Ako sila giingnan nga 24 hours unta sila magtrabaho, ako silang giagi gahapon, walay nagtrabaho, so these are kind of contractors nga naa nato karon,” Archival said.
To ensure accountability, Archival said he has tasked the City Legal Office to study the possibility of requiring contractors to sign an undertaking of commitment. This will include their pledge to pay liquidated damages for delayed projects.
“Ang ako nga maghimo sila’g undertaking nga they are willing to pay damages sa syudad kung di nila mahuman, silay muingon mo-pledge mi ani (amount) dili nga kita maoy gi mandate sa balaod,” the mayor explained.
Archival said penalties will be set by the contractors themselves, since the city government is not mandated by law to impose them.
Aside from this, he plans to require stricter guidelines for DPWH contractors, including compliance with timetables, deployment of their own traffic enforcers, installation of proper warning devices, assignment of personnel to clean up construction residue, and posting of project information.
The mayor expressed frustration over a flood control project near an overpass in Banilad, which was left unfinished after excavation works. He said the contractor claimed their machine had broken down, and despite his demand to asphalt the area, it was again left incomplete.
Archival also criticized the practice of scraping roads still in good condition to justify budget appropriations.
“Imagine-non nimo kaayo ani nga karsada inyong gi-scrape para lang gyud inyong gastohan, di man ni inyong kwarta, kwarta man ni sa mga tawo,” he said.
Asked if the road scraping he observed was justified the mayor said, “Katong scraping? No uy. It’s not justifiable in a sense nga maayo pa man nga mga roads. Unya og naay mga libaong, i-patching na nimo dili na nimo i-scrape… giguba aron ayuhon… para magawas ang kwarta… this is my personal perception, it might be wrong, pero mao na akong gitan-aw”.
Archival said he wants to make contractors commit to these measures immediately, rather than wait for an ordinance to be passed.
City efforts on flooding
Meanwhile, Archival reiterated that the city is pursuing both immediate and long-term solutions to its flooding problem.
For immediate measures, dredging will begin Wednesday in the river near Barangay Tejero. He noted that some structures encroached on the three-meter easement in the area, as already identified by the previous administration. The city will revisit the encroachment data and reassess relocation needs.
The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) has identified 40 to 100 structures near the estero that must be cleared and relocated. Archival admitted that while DPWH downloaded P140 million for flood control, only P114 million remains.
To prevent this budget from being recalled, he said the city must immediately identify relocation sites for affected families. An area in Pit-os is being eyed, with negotiations ongoing.
On Monday, Archival met with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), which committed to provide 450 free housing units if the city identifies a relocation site.
For long-term solutions, Archival said he has directed the flood and drainage council to review DPWH’s flood control plans and align them with those of the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW).
“The moment nga mahimo nga updated plans, muhangyo nako sa mga department heads, specially sa DEPW, nga ato na nang himoan og budget,” Archival said.
| Written by Iris Hazel Mascardo
