CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival has ordered the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to inspect the Monterrazas de Cebu development in Barangay Guadalupe following fresh complaints linking the project to worsening flooding in nearby areas.
Archival said the inspection was conducted last Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, after a series of public posts and reports resurfaced online accusing the hillside development, owned by engineer and celebrity Slater Young, of contributing to flash floods in the city’s southern barangays.
“There are so many complaints. That’s why we sent Cenro and the MGB. We’ll wait for their official report,” he said in a press conference on Monday, Nov. 10.
Archival said that the inspection team was expected to submit its findings soon. He added that the team had promised to deliver its report the next day, and that the City Government would abide by its recommendations.
He said that if the report advised closing the project, they would comply, but if it recommended expanding the catchment area to benefit the city and the people living downstream, they would allow it.
Archival, who has been in office for only five months, said he is still determining whether previous administrations had issued a cease and desist order or other regulatory actions against the Monterrazas project.
“I’ve only been mayor for 150 days, and I have no idea yet if there was a cease and desist order. If there was, let’s find out who issued it and what happened after,” he said.
Archival also clarified that when Young visited Cebu City in August, his purpose was to formally turn over a road and sidewalk project built within the Monterrazas property, and nothing else.
He clarified that while there were claims the City Government supported the project, their support was limited to the road construction since it benefited the public.
He added that the City would support anything that was good for the community.
He added that the City is open to holding developers accountable if their projects are proven to contribute to flooding.
“If they find something that needs to be fixed, we will make sure the developers act on it,” Archival said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Central Office has initiated a multi-agency investigation into the Monterrazas de Cebu project following the severe flooding that struck Cebu City during typhoon Tino.
At the same time, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay Guadalupe has passed a resolution urging a separate inquiry into the subdivision’s drainage and water retention systems.
The investigating team began its on-site assessment on Friday to determine whether the project complies with the conditions of its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and other environmental laws.
Inspectors will look into possible changes to natural landforms, encroachments on timberland areas and signs of erosion, siltation, or blockages in nearby waterways and tributaries.
The DENR has ordered the project’s developer to submit its Engineering, Geological and Geohazard Assessment for validation by the inspection team.
The department also warned that any violations of ECC conditions or environmental regulations could result in corrective actions such as suspension, fines, or other legal measures.
The Monterrazas development, one of the city’s largest hillside projects, has long faced scrutiny from residents and environmental groups over alleged slope instability and inadequate drainage infrastructure, issues that have resurfaced after typhoon Tino brought heavy flooding across Cebu City last week. / CAV