Buhisan Barangay Captain Gremar Barete denied quarrying allegations on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, clarifying that the site is an inactive private subdivision development approved decades ago.
Barete stated that ongoing earth-moving activities are part of a Department of Public Works and Highways road widening and slope protection project worth more than P90 million.
The project resumed after Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival lifted a cease and desist order on July 9 following the contractor's compliance with government requirements and agency inspections.
BUHISAN Barangay Captain Gremar Barete has denied allegations of quarrying activities in the upland Cebu City village, clarifying that the site in question is a private subdivision development that was approved decades ago and is no longer operating.
Barete issued the clarification on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, in response to claims made by former mayoral candidate Yogi Ruiz, who earlier raised concerns over alleged quarrying and earth-moving activities in Buhisan.
“Supposedly, the barangay has not approved any quarrying in this area. There is site development for a small subdivision,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Approved development
He explained that the subdivision had already been approved by a previous barangay administration decades ago and was later acquired by another developer, who secured an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. According to Barete, the development covers only around 5,000 square meters, or less than one hectare, and photos circulating online supporting the quarrying allegations are outdated.
“It has not been operating for more than a year,” Barete said in a mix of Cebuano and English, referring to the private subdivision development.
Slope protection project
Barete said ongoing earth-moving activities observed in Barangay Buhisan are part of a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) road widening and slope protection project, not quarrying operations. The project, worth more than P90 million, includes road widening, slope protection works, line canals, road concreting and improvements to the barangay’s water system.
He said construction resumed only after Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival lifted the cease and desist order (CDO) that had been imposed earlier this year. Documents furnished to reporters show Archival issued an order dated July 9, lifting the Feb. 19 CDO against BNR Construction and Development Corp., the contractor implementing the project.
The lifting order cited the contractor’s compliance with government requirements, including an affidavit of undertaking committing to observe environmental safeguards, traffic management, public safety measures, regulatory compliance and the uninterrupted operation of the area’s existing water reservoir until a replacement facility becomes fully operational.
Agency inspections
Under the order, the contractor remains subject to regular inspections by the Cebu City Government and may again be issued a CDO should it violate any conditions or applicable laws. Barete said the project was temporarily halted after Archival ordered the suspension of several earth-moving activities following concerns raised after typhoon Tino last November.
He added that before construction resumed, government agencies, including the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), conducted inspections and required technical documents. The EMB informed the barangay that an ECC was not required for the DPWH project because it is a National Government undertaking below the threshold requiring one, while the MGB recommended engineering interventions because the area is prone to landslides.
Barete maintained that the slope protection project is intended to stabilize the mountainside and protect nearby communities from landslides, which have become more frequent due to hillside developments in higher-elevation areas. He also rejected claims that the project damaged nearby houses, saying there is no evidence linking construction to reported cracks, suggesting earthquakes or other natural causes as possible factors. He noted that Buhisan did not flood during typhoon Tino because of existing flood-control works.
Standing invitation
Barete said he has invited Ruiz to visit the barangay so officials can explain the projects firsthand instead of relying on aerial photographs, noting that Ruiz indicated he might visit later in the week.
Expressing disappointment that Buhisan was singled out despite larger developments elsewhere in Cebu City, Barete reiterated his firm opposition to quarrying and noted that the barangay consistently refuses to endorse projects threatening protected areas. He added that he previously declined to sign a clearance for portions of the Monterrazas development that encroached into watershed areas.
“I am against quarrying. We really did not approve any quarrying here in Buhisan,” he said in Cebuano. / CAV