Mandaue council approves disaster mapping ordinance

CEBU, Philippines —  Aiming for faster and more accurate disaster response, the Mandaue City Council has approved a legislative measure that creates a citywide mapping system to determine affected areas and identify victims.

The Council has also approved for first reading an ordinance on disaster mapping in communities to prepare for any form of calamity.

In an interview, Councilor Carlo Fortuna, the author of the ordinance, explained that the goal is for the city to have complete mapping for all types of disasters, particularly storms and floods. Fortuna said they will identify potential earthquake fault lines and determine which areas are at high risk for various calamities.

In addition, they will identify fire hazards, noting that Mandaue City has experienced incidents in the past where fires in highly dense or populated areas resulted in a large number of victims.

“Ang primary purpose gyud sa ordinansa is to actually assist the city in identifying kaning mga victims for relief assistance,” Fortuna said.

He cited that during Typhoon Tino, which hit on November 4, 2025, approximately 70,000 people were affected by the storm. However, the challenge the city encountered was properly listing the victims—those affected by flooding and those whose houses were partially or totally damaged.

“That posed a significant challenge to the city in terms of disaster response and relief operations, as well as relief assistance,” Fortuna said.

To address this, the city will coordinate with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the City Planning Office, the City Social Welfare and Services Office, and other agencies.

With available tools such as Project NOAH, Fortuna said this tool will help them identify the most flood-prone areas. In addition, through the Barangay Monitoring System, they can pinpoint areas with high concentrations of people and families who may be affected by particular calamities like fire.

Fortuna said that if the ordinance is approved, it will make it easier for the city to release aid since they can identify victims through demographic data—such as households with Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, or other vulnerable sectors.

He added that the city will be prepared even before a calamity strikes.

“Naa na ta’y necessary nga aid prepared for this particular kind of victims or sectors that may be affected by this disaster,” he explained.

The lead agencies will include the CDRRMO, BFP, City Planning, and CSWSO, forming a composite team to consolidate records. Fortuna emphasized that they want to avoid situations where, during a calamity, officials still need to validate who the victims are or identify which structures were damaged.

“Easily to identify na kung naay mahitabo kay identified naman ang families or persons living in a specific area,” he said.

Fortuna added that once the mapping is in place, the City Government will be ready to immediately provide assistance.