Pam eyes reviving Mega Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — In the wake of successive natural disasters that exposed long-standing gaps in Cebu’s infrastructure and disaster preparedness, Governor Pamela Baricuatro is pushing to revive the Mega Cebu initiative.

Mega Cebu is a regional development plan envisioned to fast-track large-scale projects and strengthen inter-local coordination across Metro Cebu.

Baricuatro said in press briefing last December 7 that the revival of Mega Cebu is central to her administration’s goal of accelerating the rollout of infrastructure, particularly those addressing water security, flood control, and waste management.

“It is my goal,” Baricuatro said when asked about reestablishing Mega Cebu. She noted that the province can no longer afford fragmented planning, especially as climate-related challenges intensify.

Among the priority projects her administration is eyeing is the proposed dam system in Cotcot, Liloan, Mananga River in Talisay, and Lusaran in Cebu City. She also mentioned the Waste-to-Energy facility.

Baricuatro said the planned dam project will cover the watersheds of Mananga, Cotcot, and Lusaran, areas that play a crucial role in Metro Cebu’s water supply.

The project is also being positioned as a priority under the Regional Development Council infrastructure agenda.

While the Capitol has yet to determine the estimated cost and specific implementation timeline, she said the projects are being prepared for possible Public-Private Partnership arrangements once feasibility studies are completed.

The provincial government plans to begin feasibility studies for both the dam system and the WTE facility within the year, Baricuatro said.

If plans proceed smoothly, the Capitol is targeting the start of construction for both projects by 2027.

Baricuatro’s infrastructure push is closely tied to her broader aim of reviving Mega Cebu, a development framework first conceptualized in 2013 to transform Metro Cebu into a globally-competitive, sustainable, and integrated city-region by 2050.

Previous articles from The FREEMAN cited that Mega Cebu initiative was originally designed to align projects across cities and municipalities, particularly in areas such as flood control, transportation, land use, and water resource management.

However, Mega Cebu has remained largely inactive in recent years due to a combination of factors, including shifting political priorities, lack of sustained political will, and delays in the execution of flagship projects.

Central to the initiative was the Mega Cebu Development and Coordination Board (MCDCB), which was created during the administration of former governor Hilario Davide III, with the late business leader Bobby Aboitiz playing a key role in its formation.

The board served as the main coordinating body that harmonized infrastructure planning among local government units, national agencies, and the private sector.

Records show that the MCDCB has not been convened since January 2020.

With the board inactive, responsibility for flood control projects largely fell to the Department of Public Works and Highways, which carried out interventions.

Baricuatro said reviving Mega Cebu would help restore that coordination, ensuring that major infrastructure projects are planned and implemented cohesively rather than in isolation. — (FREEMAN)