Cebu City councilors have called for a citywide assessment of hillside developments, arguing that concerns about flooding and environmental risks should not be focused solely on the Monterrazas de Cebu project. Several families live in communities below the city’s upland areas, making questions about drainage systems, detention ponds, and watershed management critical for public safety during heavy rains and future storms.
Push for Review
The discussion came after the council passed a resolution by Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña urging Mayor Nestor Archival to issue a cease and desist order against most development activities within Monterrazas until all water catchments are completed and operational. However, some councilors said more technical review is needed.
Councilor Winston Pepito said Monterrazas has already undergone extensive examinations by national agencies, the council, and private groups. The council previously held an executive session to gather information and review findings related to flooding concerns. According to Pepito, information presented indicated that flooding during typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, 2025, could not be attributed solely to the Monterrazas project.
Multiple Causes of Flooding
A hydrology study conducted by the University of the Philippines Diliman’s Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM) found that severe flooding during typhoon Tino was driven mainly by extreme rainfall and broader drainage and watershed conditions. Researchers reported that Monterrazas had little to no effect on flooding in the Guadalupe and Kinalumsan river basins examined. Simulations suggested that the project’s detention ponds may have reduced runoff under some conditions.
The City Council later cited the study, along with findings from environmental agencies, when it concluded that flooding in Guadalupe resulted from multiple factors rather than a single cause. However, the IESM clarified that the study did not settle questions of liability. Researchers said the modeling covered only two of six river basins and was conducted under specific assumptions. They stressed that the findings “neither determine nor preclude liability for any involved party.” The researchers also said the work was a hydrological modeling study, not an environmental impact assessment.
Equal Scrutiny for Hillside Projects
Councilor Pepito questioned why Monterrazas has become the primary focus when other developments are also being built in upland areas. The council referred the issue to the Technical Infrastructure Committee (TIC) to determine whether the project complies with all applicable requirements before any recommendation for a cease and desist order is made. “If it is found to be non-compliant, then a cease-and-desist order may be warranted,” he said.
Councilor Dave Tumulak made a similar argument, saying the city should examine other hillside developments alongside Monterrazas. He said the TIC and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office have been tasked with reviewing reports submitted by the developer and assessing remedial measures already carried out at the site. Tumulak also pointed to the role of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which remains responsible for determining compliance with environmental laws and permit conditions.
Impacts of Urban Development
Councilors said the broader concern is how continued urban development affects the movement of rainwater through Cebu City’s upland areas. Tumulak said development changes how water behaves because natural ground surfaces that once absorbed rainfall are increasingly replaced by roads, buildings, and other concrete structures. “Before, rainwater could easily seep into the ground. Now there are developments and concrete surfaces, so water behaves differently,” he said.
Councilor Harry Eran said the discussion should focus on hillside and watershed development throughout the city. He noted that Monterrazas drew attention after flooding hit Barangay Guadalupe during typhoon Tino. The project also became the subject of DENR findings that it violated 10 of the 33 conditions in its environmental compliance certificate (ECC), and two retention ponds reportedly collapsed during the storm. Still, Eran said neither the council nor existing studies have concluded that Monterrazas alone caused downstream flooding. He pointed to City Resolution 17-3083-2026, which recognized extraordinary rainfall, drainage limitations, tributary inflows, and other site-specific conditions as contributing factors.
Stronger Local Regulations
Eran said the city should consider adopting a dedicated hillside development ordinance. Such a measure could establish stricter standards for slope management, drainage systems, water retention facilities, geohazard assessments, setbacks, and post-construction monitoring. He argued that the Monterrazas case demonstrated both the benefits and limitations of relying on ECC conditions enforced at the national level. According to Eran, Monterrazas constructed detention ponds with a combined capacity of 62,710.50 cubic meters, more than double the required 26,701 cubic meters. Even so, violations were later identified, and infrastructure failures reportedly occurred during typhoon Tino.
The councilor also pointed to broader watershed changes across Metro Cebu. Citing findings from the IESM study, Eran said the area lost an average of 3.21 square kilometers of greenery each year between 1994 and 2019, while built-up urban areas expanded by 17.77 square kilometers annually during the same period. “Each individual project may have passed its own review, but together they change how much rainfall a watershed can absorb before it rushes into the communities below,” Eran said.
Next Steps
The TIC is expected to continue reviewing Monterrazas’ flood-mitigation measures and compliance records. Its findings could help determine whether further action is recommended against the project. The review may also serve as the basis for a wider examination of hillside developments, watershed management, and flood-control policies across Cebu City.
