Archival non-committal on call to halt Monterrazas

CEBU, Philippines — Mayor Nestor Archival remained non-committal on Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s call for a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against the Monterrazas de Cebu hillside development, saying he respects the concerns raised by the City Council but must consider the broader implications before making any decision.

Archival made the remarks in response to Osmeña’s appeal to halt the project for the welfare of residents allegedly affected by the development.

“I appreciate their concerns, but as a mayor, I should also look beyond that concern. I understand nga gitan-aw nato ang welfare sa tawo sa ilalom, but we also need to have a bigger picture,” Archival told reporters.

The mayor said the council should also take into account previous resolutions and official reports related to the project.

He cited an earlier measure authored by Councilor Jose Abellanosa directing Monterrazas to proactively complete its catchment basins and stressed that documents submitted to the city indicate that the required structures have already been completed.

“It’s very clear here. Wa siguro sila kabasa,” Archival said while holding up a copy of the developer’s report.

According to a letter submitted by Mont Property Group Inc., “a total of twenty-four detention ponds have now been completed and are fully operational.”

The completion of these detention ponds had been among the conditions sought by members of the City Council. Osmeña, however, has maintained that the structures should first be tested during a major typhoon to determine whether they can effectively contain runoff and mitigate flooding.

Archival acknowledged that council members remain divided on the issue, with some warning against waiting for casualties before taking action.

“I have no comment to that,” he said.

The mayor confirmed that he remains in communication with Osmeña despite their differing views on the Monterrazas project. Asked about Councilor Jun Alcover’s suggestion that he and the vice mayor sit down to discuss the matter directly, Archival replied, “That’s correct. Yeah.”

Archival also expressed reservations about the council’s decision to refer the matter to the Technical Infrastructure Committee (TIC) for further review.

He argued that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the proper authority to regulate developments such as Monterrazas.

“We are regulated by certain institution which is the DENR, which is the highest authority that can give directions to this situation ba nga flooding or whatever,” he said, while questioning the technical expertise of TIC members.

The DENR had previously suspended the Monterrazas project over environmental concerns but later lifted the suspension after determining that the developer had complied with regulatory requirements. That clearance remains in effect.

Archival recalled facing similar criticism when he created a working group to monitor compliance at the Binaliw sanitary landfill. He said the focus should be on ensuring adherence to DENR requirements rather than on whether local officials possess technical expertise.

“Did you remember that nga naghimo ko’g usa ka working group to check and verify the requirements set forth by the Binaliw is being followed? There’s so many people saying, ‘Why Albert Tan? Why Planning? Why Poloy? Are these experts?’ We don’t need an expert to check if the documents are just being followed because the one that sets the requirements for the regulation is the DENR,” he said.

Pressed on whether he supports the council’s resolution urging a halt to the project, Archival remained cautious.

“I don’t know. I could not answer that,” he said, adding that his responsibility is to carefully balance competing concerns and avoid making impulsive decisions.

The mayor also reminded the council that flooding in Cebu City predates the Monterrazas development, citing records of heavy rainfall events over the past 18 years. He described the recent flooding as an extraordinary event that occurs only once every “50 to 100 years.”

The Monterrazas project has long been a source of controversy, with residents of Banawa and Guadalupe blaming the development for worsening floods in their communities.

While the City Council continues to push for stronger action, Archival maintained that any decision should be based on verified reports and the DENR’s regulatory authority rather than political pressure.

“What I’m trying to do is to balance how things should be done, not in impulsive ways, and it should be based on something that can be seen,” he said. — /FPL (FREEMAN)