Mayor faces pressure to stop Monterrazas

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is facing mounting pressure from the City Council, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO), and the Cebu City Legal Office to issue a cease-and-desist order against the controversial Monterrazas de Cebu project and several other development activities in the city’s upland areas.

The City Council unanimously called for the stoppage of the hillside development in Barangay Guadalupe, citing a suspension order issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in November 2025.

According to council members, the Monterrazas project continued civil works despite the DENR directive, allegedly disregarding the lawful order.

The project has long drawn environmental concerns because of its location in Cebu City’s mountainous terrain.

In November 2025, DENR-7 confirmed it had ordered the suspension of activities after discovering violations that included large-scale tree cutting and excavation. Authorities said the activities left the mountainside exposed and vulnerable to landslides following flooding brought by Typhoon Tino.

DENR officials also reported that of more than 700 trees originally standing in the area, only 11 remained after clearing activities linked to the project.

Despite the suspension order, drone inspections conducted by CCENRO in January 2026 reportedly documented ongoing civil works, including earth-moving and hauling operations without the required permits.

The findings prompted the City Council in February 2026 to pass Resolution No. 17-2317-2026, introduced by Councilor Sisinio Andales, requesting the issuance of a cease-and-desist order against the Monterrazas project.

The resolution was approved unanimously, reflecting the council’s frustration over repeated violations and what it described as the developer’s disregard for regulatory processes.

The council initially referred the matter to the Office of the Building Official (OBO), which later endorsed it to CCENRO, explaining that its authority is limited to enforcing the National Building Code.

“Upon review, we respectfully note that the concerns raised in the Resolution pertain to regulatory matters that are not within the primary mandate of OBO, whose authority is confined to the enforcement of the National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations,” said OBO chief Florante Catalan.

Catalan added that obtaining a building permit does not exempt developers from securing other permits and clearances from relevant government agencies.

CCENRO officer-in-charge Editha Peros acknowledged the reported violations but stressed that the authority to issue a cease-and-desist order rests with the Office of the City Mayor.

“The enforcement of environmental requirements such as tree cutting and special hauling permits falls within our regulatory mandate, but the issuance of a cease-and-desist order to halt ongoing project activities due to such violations is a function that falls within the jurisdiction of the Office of the City Mayor,” Peros said in her endorsement to Archival.

The Monterrazas project is not the only development currently under scrutiny.

The City Legal Office confirmed that several council resolutions recommending cease-and-desist orders have also been filed against other developments, including San Lorenza Development Corporation in Binaliw, Hallay’s Ville in Buhisan, and various quarrying and earth-moving activities in Budlaan and Binaliw.

Officials said these cases highlight a broader crackdown on unregulated development across Cebu City.

Archival’s decision on the matter is considered crucial, as his office is expected to balance enforcement of environmental regulations with the city’s development agenda.

For residents of Guadalupe and nearby barangays, the Monterrazas controversy has become a symbol of the growing tension between rapid urban expansion and ecological preservation in Cebu City’s mountain areas.

Earlier, Archival demonstrated his willingness to intervene in development issues when he issued a cease-and-desist order against a road-widening project funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Barangay Buhisan in February 2026.

The order cited safety and environmental concerns after residents raised alarms over slope protection and excavation risks associated with the project.

Observers say the mayor’s response to the Monterrazas project and other developments will determine whether Cebu City will assert a firm stance on environmental stewardship or risk eroding public trust. — / FPL (FREEMAN)