Cebu City speeds up canal dredging, clearing ops as rainy season begins

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City has intensified canal declogging and dredging operations in flood-prone areas as the rainy season begins and localized thunderstorms continue to affect parts of the city.

Mayor Nestor Archival said the local government has focused its operations in Cebu City areas frequently hit by flooding due to clogged drainage, including Colon Street.

“Sa wa pa ta maghimo og ingon ani, it takes about half a day [for the water to subside]. Kung gabii ang uwan, inig ka buntag na mohubas,” Archival said on Saturday, June 6.

(“Before the operations began, it took about half a day for the water to subside. If it rains at night, the water only drains in the morning.”)

READ: School opening weather: Cebu to see isolated rains, thunderstorms Monday

The mayor said the city now conducts daily declogging and dredging activities as Cebu continues to experience isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.

Declogging refers to clearing blockages from drainage channels or waterways, while dredging involves removing mud, sand, gravel, and other debris from the bottom of waterways.

Limited equipment slows operations

Archival said the city’s biggest challenge is the limited number of heavy equipment available for the operations, including backhoe dredgers and other machinery used for clearing waterways.

“Dili pa perfect, pero i-continue nato na pag declog ug dredge (The results aren’t perfect yet, but we will continue to unclog and dredge),” the mayor said.

He added that Cebu City has already ordered additional equipment, although delivery may still take four to five months.

To speed up operations in larger areas, the city government partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) for manpower and equipment support.

Archival said DPWH has helped with clearing operations, dredging activities, and cleanup drives along the coastline and waterways of Barangay Pasil.

READ: PH may experience 1 to 2 tropical cyclones in June — Pagasa

Large amounts of garbage and debris previously reached the shores of the barangay after floodwaters from the Guadalupe River overflowed during Typhoon Tino.

Meanwhile, beneficiaries under Dole’s Tupad (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged or Displaced Workers) Program have helped clear areas affected by flooding and other disasters.

Rainy season begins

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) declared the onset of the rainy season on June 4, 2026, after days of occasional to frequent rains caused by the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”

Pagasa said the expected El Niño may strengthen southwest monsoon rains that could affect western sections of Luzon and the Visayas during the rainy season.

READ: Fair weather seen across PH due to monsoon break — Pagasa

However, monsoon breaks, or periods with little to no rainfall, may also occur for several days to weeks.

Cebu has recently experienced isolated rains and thunderstorms caused by weather systems affecting only specific areas for short periods.

These weather disturbances usually bring sudden rain, thunder, and lightning that may trigger flooding in low-lying and drainage-challenged areas.

Pagasa urged the public and government agencies to take precautions as it monitors the effects of the rainy season, the southwest monsoon, and other weather systems.

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