THE cease and desist order (CDO) protecting century-old mangroves from a road construction project along the coastlines of Barangays Inayawan and Cogon Pardo in Cebu City remains in effect.
Acting Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros will not lift the CDO against the P97 million access road project by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Cebu City Engineering District and WTG Construction and Development Corp., as the project proponents failed to secure the necessary environmental permits before construction began.
The CDO will remain in effect until the proponents comply with all requirements, he said.
The noncompliance came to light during a technical meeting at Cebu City Hall on Monday, June 9, 2025.
The P97 million project aims to connect F. Gabuya Extension to the South Road Properties (SRP), serving as an alternative route for motorists traveling to and from the national road.
Hontiveros issued the CDO on Thursday, June 5, following a recommendation from the city’s Coastline Management Bureau (CMB), Rivers Management Council (RMC), and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Ccenro). The recommendation was to temporarily halt the project due to its negative impact on the mangrove habitat.
The order specifically stopped the dumping of limestone (anapog) and other filling materials, citing environmental concerns related to road construction in the Cogon Pardo and Inayawan coastal areas.
Impact study
During Monday’s meeting, Ed Karlon Rama, head of the RMC and CMB, revealed that the project proponent—the DPWH Cebu City Engineering District—failed to commission an environmental impact study (EIS), which is crucial for identifying risks and proposing mitigations for environmental concerns.
Rama said the EIS will be vital to protect the newly discovered century-old mangroves, along with the crucial wildlife habitat and ecosystem in the area—a wetland that runs parallel to Metro Cebu.
Rama added that the DPWH Cebu City Engineering District did not apply for or receive an environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The proponent also failed to receive a certificate of non-coverage (CNC), which would have exempted the project from the DENR’s ECC requirement.
Rama explained that a CNC can be sought if a road project is less than two kilometers long and within a dryland area. However, this project is in a wetland, and the DENR requires an EIS and an ECC before construction in such areas.
“Acting Mayor Hontiveros will continue the cease and desist order, he will not lift it until they comply with the ECC requirements,” Rama said.
He added that Hontiveros supports the DPWH project but insists on full compliance with all requirements.
“The important thing is that it is subject to the requirements. The requirements are there to protect the environment. The requirements are there not to block infrastructure projects but to make sure that there is no damage or minimal damage,” Rama said.
It was also revealed during the meeting Monday that the project was implemented in phases. In the first phase, the proponent reportedly secured an ECC, and Rama said the City Government was not alarmed by its implementation.
However, for the second phase, the proponent had not been granted an ECC. He added that the proponent had not informed the RMC, CMB, or Ccenro about the project’s impact.
The contractor must conduct and submit the EIS to the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) for review. The EIS will serve as the basis for the application. If satisfied, the EMB in Central Visayas will issue an ECC.
Rama said the proponent will present the ECC to the Ccenro to obtain local permits from the City Government, such as a hauling permit, which depends on ECC approval.
He said the proponent’s compliance might take time, as it must hire consultants and experts to conduct the EIS.
He added that this could extend into the upcoming administration of Mayor-elect Nestor Archival.
Archival will have the discretion to lift the CDO. However, Rama expressed hope the next administration will safeguard the environment.
Rama said the environmental impact of the project was discovered while the Ccenro conducted an assessment of the mangroves in the area. Last June 4, a Ccenro team reported to the RMC that mangroves in Cogon Pardo were being buried under filling material. / EHP