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CEBU CITY — Cebu is facing a massive infrastructure challenge, with over P5 billion needed to repair roads, bridges, and schools damaged by the recent earthquake.
The Department of Public Works and Highways Central Visayas (DPWH-7) said that this huge sum is crucial to restore the province’s battered facilities and ensure safe, functional travel and learning environments.
During the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session on Monday, Nov. 24, DPWH district engineers laid out a detailed two-hour briefing for provincial board members, highlighting the scale of destruction and the costly repairs ahead.
Lawmakers were shown the urgent need for a coordinated funding effort to make Cebu’s road network fully operational again.
Nonato Paylado, chief of the Planning and Design Division of DPWH-7, identified Cebu’s fourth district as the hardest-hit area.
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Four major roads were severely damaged, including the Cebu North Hagnaya Wharf Road, the East Coast Road, the Bogo–Curba–Medellin–Daanbantayan–Maya Road, and the Antoniot Pipio Highway including the Sogod Highway.
DPWH-7 also listed five bridges for reconstruction, costing P310 million, and 11 national roads needing P300.9 million in repairs, totaling P610.98 million.
Among the bridges are the Poblacion Daanbantayan Bridge and four more in San Remigio.
Paylado said joint inspections were conducted by engineers from DPWH’s central, regional, and district offices. Emergency repairs at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City, costing P30 million, were already completed under the directive of DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon.
The San Remigio Sports Complex, which will require P15 million, is also slated for rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of national roads and bridges has begun, and all routes remain passable.
For local infrastructure, 12 bridges have been endorsed to DPWH’s Bureau of Maintenance, with reconstruction costs estimated at P474M across Tabogon, Daanbantayan, Medellin, Sogod, and mostly Borbon.
Paylado said funds for national roads are still "due for release," and no definite schedule exists for local roads.
Funding for local projects is likely to come from the Office of Civil Defense, in coordination with local government units.
The largest funding chunk is for school buildings, with DPWH proposing P4.18 billion to repair or reconstruct 143 quake-damaged public schools. Board Member Celestino "Tining" Martinez III asked if all funding is guaranteed by 2026.
Paylado replied that Secretary Vince Dizon assured availability, adding that school repairs will be coordinated with the Department of Education, which maintains its own Quick Response Fund.
Board Member Red Duterte raised safety concerns about ongoing aftershocks. Robinson Jorgio of Phivolcs Visayas Cluster said magnitudes have remained below 5.2, and reconstruction is safe if structural engineers assess projects.
On when aftershocks will stop, Jorgio said monitoring continues until a full day records zero activity.
“An earthquake monitoring follows a certain pattern. Monitoring of aftershocks can only stop once a full day record zero activity,” he said, cautioning that occasional activity should still be expected.
