During its regular session on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, the Cebu City Council reviewed a July 9 DENR 7 memorandum regarding the proposed Matahom Peak View Eco Farm Resort owned by Franklin Vicoy in Barangay Taptap.
Councilors raised concerns that clearing mountain land within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape removes natural buffers and worsens downstream flooding, prompting calls to evaluate the entire watershed system rather than reviewing projects individually.
The council invited Vicoy, DENR representatives, and the city’s environmental office to an executive session on Sept. 8, 2026, to clarify the project's location, regulatory status, and compliance with environmental rules.
PLANS for a new eco-farm resort in the mountains of Cebu City have sparked a much bigger discussion among local leaders. City officials are now using the project to look closely at all developments happening inside the city's protected watershed area.
The discussion began during the regular council session on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Councilors reviewed a July 9, 2026 memorandum from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 regarding the proposed Matahom Peak View Eco Farm Resort. Owned by Franklin Vicoy, the planned resort is located in Sitio Proper, Barangay Taptap, which falls within the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).
DENR 7 OIC-Executive Director Laudemir Salac noted in the memo that a city council resolution is required before the project can receive a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) clearance. The matter was forwarded to the Protected Area Management Office (Pamo) for evaluation. In response, the council decided to invite Vicoy, representatives from DENR, and the city’s environmental office to an executive session on Sept. 8. While this action does not approve or reject the project, it aims to clarify its exact location, regulatory status, and compliance with environmental rules.
Impact on trees and City flooding
Local leaders quickly voiced concerns about building in protected areas. Minority Floor Leader Sisinio Andales questioned the exact location of the Taptap project and warned that clearing mountain land hurts the city's environmental goals.
“What’s the use of tree planting nato?” Andales asked. He raised concerns that government tree-planting programs are useless if mountain vegetation is simply cleared for subdivisions and businesses. He added that losing plant cover in the mountains removes a natural buffer, leading to worse flooding for communities downstream.
Councilor Jun Alcover agreed, pointing out that massive commercial growth is already taking place along the mountain stretch from Barangay Busay toward Balamban. He questioned whether these areas can still function as protected lands given the current level of construction, suggesting the Matahom proposal should force officials to explain how permits are being checked and approved.
Calls for a complete pause on mountain development
Other councilors stressed that the issue goes far beyond a single resort project. Councilor Mikel Rama noted that Pamo's feedback is still pending and requested their presence at the Sept. 8 meeting to explain the rules for upland building.
Councilor Joel Garganera urged officials to stop reviewing projects one by one and instead look at the entire watershed system. Reminding the council of his Dec. 16, 2025 call for a moratorium on upland building, he emphasized that about 80 percent of Cebu City is located in the uplands.
“Let us not look at it on a per project basis. We have to do it holistically because we’re looking here on the watershed area,” Garganera said. He pointed out that the city cannot solve its downstream flooding problems without protecting its mountain slopes.
Garganera also mentioned that the mayor's office scheduled an inspection of around 65 upland developments for Aug. 27, with a report expected by the end of August. However, he questioned whether technical offices like the Office of the Building Official have the capacity to properly check every site individually.
What comes next
The upcoming Sept. 8 executive session will determine whether the Matahom Peak View project meets environmental rules and what permits it still needs. More importantly, the meeting marks a critical turning point for Cebu City as leaders balance upland business growth with the vital need to protect the city's water supply and prevent future flooding.