Recovery from Cebu quake still a long journey despite progress, PDRRMO says

Local

NEARLY a year after the devastating earthquake that struck Cebu province, rehabilitation and recovery efforts are ongoing, with a provincial disaster official emphasizing that the process will take years before affected communities can fully recover.

Retired Lt. Col. Dennis Pastor, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said that while the province has made significant strides in rebuilding damaged infrastructure and restoring services, recovery is far from complete.

“There’s still a long way to recover,” Pastor said, noting that the provincial government has crafted a three-year recovery plan to address the extensive damage left by the earthquake.

Pastor clarified that although the province lifted its state of calamity declaration last March, local government units directly affected by the earthquake may still maintain their own declarations if conditions in their areas warrant it.

“The affected municipalities can continue if the situation or condition warrants,” he said during the Hisgutan Ta! Media Forum on Thursday, June 18.

According to Pastor, total recovery requirements for earthquake-affected areas in Cebu were estimated at around P19 billion, a figure that exceeds the annual budget of the provincial government.

Given the scale of funding needed, he said recovery efforts rely on a combination of national government support, implementing agencies, and other funding sources. The provincial government's direct participation accounts for roughly P750 million of the identified recovery needs.

Among the major projects identified under the recovery program are the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 30 bridges, support for the agriculture sector, and tourism-related recovery initiatives.

Pastor said the province has already allocated P30 million for agricultural rehabilitation as part of its three-year recovery strategy.

Education remains one of the most pressing concerns, with approximately 3,600 classrooms across affected areas sustaining either major or minor damage from the earthquake.

To address the shortage of learning spaces, Governor Pamela Baricuatro has pushed for the construction of temporary learning centers while waiting for permanent school buildings to be rebuilt.

Pastor said the provincial government plans to establish 269 modular learning centers across Cebu to ensure students can continue attending classes despite the lack of permanent facilities.

“The governor recognizes that the national government is still working on the reconstruction of school buildings, but we have to get the children back to school,” he said.

He added that the modular classrooms are intended to serve as an immediate solution while long-term reconstruction projects are being implemented.

Despite the challenges, Pastor expressed optimism that ongoing recovery projects in Cebu will eventually help affected communities return to normalcy.(MyTVCebu)