Archival honors council's decision, will not issue CDO vs Monterrazas project

Local

AFFIRMING the council’s decision that halting the development is unwarranted, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival will not issue a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against the Monterrazas de Cebu project.

“The council has its own decision, and I will not object to that,” Archival said in a press conference on Monday, April 13.

This has signaled deference to the legislative body’s resolution clearing the project of direct responsibility for recent flooding incidents.

The mayor said he would honor the council’s findings, which were based on joint inspections and technical assessments conducted by the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO).

“I will honor the council’s decision,” he said. He added that he was uncertain whether he still had grounds to issue a CDO following the resolution.

While earlier recommendations from city offices suggested that the mayor had the authority to issue a cease-and-desist order, Archival said the council’s action effectively supersedes the need for such intervention.

“I don’t really know… maybe naunhan sa resolution sa council,” he said.

Archival emphasized that while concerns raised against the project should be addressed, ordering a shutdown may not be the appropriate course of action.

“If ato buhaton nga i-close ang tanang businesses because of some resolutions and recommendations, unsa may mahitabo sa syudad?” he said.

“We need to balance unsay angay buhaton.”

He clarified that the issue is not about absolving the developer of responsibility, but ensuring that identified deficiencies are corrected without unnecessarily disrupting ongoing developments.

“The Monterrazas is being asked to address certain concerns,” he said.

He noted that available reports indicate the project is not the sole cause of flooding in the area.

The Cebu City Council earlier approved a resolution stating that the Monterrazas de Cebu project did not directly cause the flooding experienced in Barangay Guadalupe during Typhoon Tino in November 2025.

Instead, the council cited multiple contributing factors, including drainage limitations, tributary inflows, and other site conditions.

“Flooding incidents cannot be solely attributed to any single development in the area,” the resolution stated.

The findings were based on a joint ocular inspection conducted on January 12, 2026, by the OBO and CCENRO, which noted that earth-moving activities at the site were carried out to manage surface runoff and were consistent with directives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The council also referenced an Environmental Management Bureau report indicating that the project incorporates 22 detention ponds with a total capacity of over 62,000 cubic meters to mitigate flooding risks.

Further, the resolution pointed to longstanding drainage issues in the area, including outdated infrastructure and improper waste disposal, as major contributors to flooding.

Despite declining to order a shutdown, Archival said the city will continue to require compliance from the project developer and ensure that mitigation measures are implemented.

The council has mandated concerned city offices to maintain regulatory oversight and work with the developer on long-term drainage and flood control solutions.

The developer is also required to complete its Special Hauling Permit and submit comprehensive hydrological studies to guide further interventions.

The Monterrazas project, located in Barangay Guadalupe, has been under scrutiny following flooding incidents in nearby communities.(TGP)