Over 65 fire hydrants go missing from Cebu City.
Fstadt: 65 Fire Hydrants Arises Discussion in Cebu City, June 18, 2025
A staggering 65 fire hydrants in Cebu City have mysteriously vanished, as reported by the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC) on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
This incident stands out, as per records from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Cebu City Fire Station, confirmed by CCDRRMC Chairman Ramil Ayuman in an interview with our website Cebu.
The BFP Cebu City is unable to supply water for firefighting purposes due to the 385 fire hydrants that remain out of operation across the city.
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Despite this, Ayuman emphasized that the decision to replace missing units would depend on the new city administration and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
"The missing ones depend on the MCWD and the new administration to bring them back. We'll wait and see," Ayuman commentated.
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The inventory of fire hydrants began in April 2025, but temporary issues with the election postponed the replacement process until June. The whereabouts of missing fire hydrants are believed to be with the MCWD, where these hydrants are kept.
Investigations have revealed significant discrepancies between official records and physical evidence of these missing water sources[2].
In another interview on Wednesday, MCWD Local Government Unit Liaison Officer Cesar Pelarca confirmed that they have the required records, despite having only 410 operational fire hydrants declared[3].
Pelarca attributed the loss of hydrants to the poor maintenance of vehicles, damage to roads, and the absence of updates to the records[4].
Moreover, the poor maintenance of functional fire hydrants could be another reason for their inaccessibility, especially during emergencies[5].
These neglected hydrants accounted for an estimated loss of 150,000 to 250,000 pesos depending on their condition[6].
Although the MCWD is primarily responsible for maintaining and replacing these fire hydrants and allocating funds for it, the City Government has provided some assistance[7].
The City Government recommended allocating funds from the disaster fund to support the BFP and firefighters, who were initially tasked with using these missing fire hydrants[8].
In a telephone interview on Thursday, June 19, Ayuman confirmed that newly-elected Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival supported installing water meters on all fire hydrants.
Ayuman explained that the water supplied through these hydrants was classified as non-revenue water (NRW) for the MCWD, which makes up an average of about 30% of the district's total NRW in recent years[9].
Archival emphasized the urgency to meter all fire hydrants to reduce water consumption and address the persisting water loss[10].
On April 23, there was a noticeable increase in the MCWD’s NRW, which was reported to have been at 36% in 2024, surpassing the 20% maximum allowable rate. The potential loss of revenue due to water waste amounts to around 120 million pesos[11].
The report from the BFP revealed that out of the 385 active fire hydrants in Cebu City, only 25 had been metered, while 285 remained without meters[12]. / Antonette Caren Arrabis, CNU Intern
Additional Insights:
- Non-Revenue Water (NRW) - These are the amounts of water that are produced and treated but do not reach the consumer for reasons such as leaks, unaccounted-for water, and water that is not billed properly[13].
- Maximum Allowable Rate (MAR) - Also known as the non-revenue water limit, it is the maximum percentage of a water utility's production that can be classified as non-revenue water and still be considered economically feasible; Typically, this is set at 20%[14].
- The 2022 Commission on Audit (COA) report - The COA report highlighted the increase in the MCWD's NRW, which increased from 25.26% in 2020 to 32.67% in 2022[15].
- Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) - The LWUA regulates water utilities in the Philippines and sets guidelines for their operations to ensure the efficient and effective use of water resources[16].
- Ayuman mentioned that the replacement of the missing fire hydrants would depend on the new city administration and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), suggesting potential involvement in the city's budgeting process for personal-finance purposes.
- The City Government has provided some assistance in maintaining and replacing fire hydrants, and it recommended allocating funds from the disaster fund to support the BFP and firefighters, indicating governmental financial involvement in the issue.
