THE condition of Cebu City’s upland communities has emerged as a “cause for concern,” according to Mayor Nestor Archival, following a near-fatal landslide in Barangay Bacayan and mounting questions over hillside developments, including the Monterrazas de Cebu project.
Archival, in a press conference on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, acknowledged that the Bacayan incident, where a 25-year-old man survived after soil and debris collapsed from the high fence of a subdivision above his home, has intensified scrutiny on earth-moving activities in upland areas.
The mayor said he instructed the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) to inspect all subdivision developers in Bacayan and other upland barangays, citing observed quarrying and earth-moving activities that may be contributing to soil instability.
“In fact, I went to Bacayan yesterday. I saw trucks from one of the subdivisions hauling materials. I instructed Cenro to check all the developers and give me a report, especially if they are quarrying or flattening the land, because that alarmed me,” he said.
He warned that such unchecked activities not only threaten residents living below slopes but also disrupt natural waterways.
Archival noted that a creek near the Bacayan cemetery had been cut off, forcing people to pass through the riverbed and causing heavy traffic in the area.
Archival also expressed concern over reports that more than 700 trees were cut inside the Monterrazas de Cebu development, an allegation he has yet to receive a full report on from Cenro.
“I really haven’t received their report yet, but I read in the news that there were 700 trees. But Monterrazas said there were none. For me, whatever recommendation the City can enforce, we will impose it,” he said.
Asked whether the City had issued a permit for tree cutting, Archival replied: “I don’t think so. In fact, they said there were supposedly no trees, so what would there be to cut?”
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) earlier reported that only 11 out of 745 trees documented in 2022 remain standing inside the Monterrazas property.
A joint inspection also found that only 12 detention ponds were built, fewer than the 16 required.
The developer denied cutting any trees, saying it removed only shrubs and secondary growth and described the DENR’s findings as grievously false.
Archival said upland development must shift from profit-driven to environmentally-responsible practices.
“Developing housing is really about making a profit. But we should balance our development,” he said.
He added that even if developers profit, they should avoid harming the environment because once they do, the impact will eventually return to everyone.
The consequences, he stressed, extend beyond the immediate area and affect the wider community.
City Hall is now closely monitoring subdivisions in Bacayan and surrounding barangays, especially those engaged in quarrying or slope flattening, as it awaits Cenro’s full findings. / CAV