CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur - Extreme rainfall from typhoon ‘’Tino’’ was cited as the primary cause of the severe flooding that struck parts of Cebu City in November 2025, a hydrological study conducted by the University of the Philippines said.

Researchers from the UP College of Science-Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology reported that the storm dumped 428 millimeters of rain within 24 hours over the Guadalupe and Kinalumsan River basins, an amount classified as “extreme record-level” rainfall.

The study said rainfall volume exceeded their natural capacity to absorb and drain water, triggering widespread flooding in low-lying communities.

Researchers examined if upland development, particularly the Monterrazas de Cebu project – led by entrepreneur Slater Young – contributed to the flooding following public criticism after the disaster.

However, simulation results showed the project had “little to no effect” on the severity of the flooding. In some scenarios, the development’s detention ponds even reduced runoff by about two percent compared with the site’s original grassland condition.

According to the study, flooding would likely have occurred even without the development due to the sheer volume of rainfall brought by the typhoon.

The findings support earlier assessments by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that the flooding resulted from multiple factors rather than a single project.