Mananga, Cotcot, Butuanon dams eyed in Cebu by 2027

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The national government plans to start building dams along Cebu’s three major river systems next year.

The project is designed to provide a long-term solution to the recurring, devastating floods that plague downstream communities during extreme weather.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon announced on June 22 that the proposed dams along the Mananga, Cotcot, and Butuanon rivers are already part of preparations for the 2027 national budget and will complement ongoing river rehabilitation and flood-control projects across Metro Cebu.

“We have already budgeted for the Mananga, Cotcot, and Butuanon dams upstream. They will start next year once the budget is approved,” Dizon told reporters after inspecting rehabilitation works along the Mananga River in Barangay San Isidro, Talisay City.

READ: Marcos puts 70-meter Mananga dam in 2027 national budget

He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had committed to protecting the funding proposal during the congressional budget deliberations.

“The President already said he will not allow the budget for these projects to be reduced because they are very important not only for Cebu but also for Talisay, Liloan, and communities across Cebu. We will not allow what happened during Typhoon Tino to happen again,” Dizon added.

Long-term answer to flooding

While government agencies continue repairing damaged flood-control structures along the Mananga River, Dizon said authorities would now focus on addressing the root causes of flooding rather than relying solely on downstream protection works.

“The ultimate solution when it comes to rivers is to allow the river to flow in its natural state. We have to give room for the river,” he said.

According to Dizon, decades of urban expansion gradually narrowed Cebu’s waterways as communities and structures encroached on riverbanks.

READ: Marcos pushes climate-smart farming as Bohol irrigation project opens

“Dati kasi pinaliit natin nang pinaliit yung mga river because of population growth at pagtatayo ng mga bahay sa riverbanks. We have to go back years ago when the river was very wide. We have to bring the river back to its original state,” he said.

(We kept making rivers narrower because of population growth and the construction of houses along riverbanks. We have to return to the time when rivers were much wider. We have to restore rivers to their original condition.)

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has already started river-widening activities in some areas, but Dizon said most of the major works would begin next year once funding becomes available.

“Work is already in progress, but a lot of the work will come next year when we have the budget,” he said.

River restoration, no-build zones

Apart from constructing dams, the government also plans to restore sections of the river to their original width and strictly enforce no-build zones along vulnerable river corridors.

Dizon said authorities would not reconstruct damaged structures within high-risk sections of the river.

“Hindi na tayo magtatayo sa area na ito. No-build zone na ito para iwas-disgrasya. Papalakihin kasi natin ang river at i-restore natin ito sa original width nito,” he said.

(We will no longer build in this area. This is now a no-build zone to prevent disasters. We will widen the river and restore it to its original width.)

He explained that restoring river capacity had become more urgent as more intense rainfall events continued to send large volumes of water rushing from Cebu’s upland areas toward coastal communities.

Nature-based flood control

Dizon also defended the government’s use of gabion structures—wire mesh baskets filled with rocks—in rehabilitating damaged portions of the Mananga River.

Before the onset of the rainy season, DPWH completed several flood-control interventions damaged by Typhoon Tino.

“Bago pa man bumuhos ang malakas na ulan at bagyo, natapos na ang mga flood-control projects dito,” Dizon said.

(Before the heavy rains and typhoons arrived, we had already completed the flood-control projects here.)

He said engineers and flood experts, including those involved in Project NOAH, recommended the use of gabions because they functioned as nature-based solutions that slow down water flow.

“Mas maganda ang gabion. Number one, nature-based solution ito. Pangalawa, pinapabagal nito ang daloy ng tubig,” he said.

(Gabions are better. First, they are a nature-based solution. Second, they slow down the flow of water.)

According to Dizon, the technology is not new but has proven more effective in some situations than traditional concrete structures because it reduces the speed and force of floodwaters rushing downstream from mountain watersheds.

Dams key to long-term strategy

For local officials, the proposed dams represent the centerpiece of Cebu’s long-term flood management strategy.

Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas welcomed the government’s plans, saying authorities now appear focused not only on repairing damaged infrastructure but also on preventing future disasters.

“They are fixing the present structures, but more importantly, they have a long-term plan on how to approach this situation,” Gullas said.

“I think the long-term plan is to build the dam. Aside from fixing the flood-control projects here, the long-term solution is building the dam.”

Cebu’s largest river systems

The three rivers identified for future dam projects play crucial roles in Cebu’s drainage and flood-control network.

The Mananga River drains vast portions of Cebu’s central uplands before flowing through Talisay City toward the Cebu Strait. It has long served as a focal point of flood-control interventions because of the enormous volume of water it carries during heavy rains.

The Butuanon River originates in the mountain barangays of Cebu City and passes through Mandaue City before emptying into the Mactan Channel. The river cuts through heavily urbanized and industrialized areas and remains one of the most closely monitored waterways in Central Visayas.

The Cotcot River, meanwhile, forms part of the northern Cebu watershed system and influences flood patterns in several downstream communities.

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