The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has flagged the Monterrazas de Cebu project for multiple environmental violations, including unrecorded cutting of hundreds of trees and failure to secure water discharge permits. The probe followed severe flooding from Typhoon Tino that killed 57 people in Cebu. Authorities issued a notice of violation and stoppage order to the developers.
On November 13, the DENR in Central Visayas revealed three major findings from its investigation into the 140-hectare Monterrazas de Cebu project in Guadalupe, Cebu City, following Typhoon Tino.
First, developers failed to report 734 trees cut from the 745 recorded in a DENR tree inventory in October 2022, as part of their environmental compliance certificate (ECC) application. DENR Region 7 Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Eddie Llamedo said in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas, "They found out that out of 745, only 11 were accounted for, so meaning there was a violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705, or the Forestry Code of the Philippines." The DENR had provided a checklist in November 2022 detailing tree-cutting and inventory procedures.
Second, 10 of the 33 conditions in the amended ECC were violated, including the lack of discharge permits under the Clean Water Act, required for legally releasing wastewater. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) issued a notice of violation and stoppage order. Non-compliance could lead to penalties of P50,000 per violation under Presidential Decree 1586.
Third, flooding was linked to the project after inspectors found 17 detention ponds heavily silted and damaged, causing uncontained surface runoff into nearby waterways and downslope communities. Although the most affected areas were 5.4 to 11 kilometers from the site, the runoff contributed to impacts.
Developers were summoned to a technical conference on November 13 via a show-cause order. They may face administrative penalties and criminal cases. Llamedo urged developers, engineers, and architects of upland projects to revisit designs for heavier rainfall and climate change effects: "[They should] revisit their impact assessment plan, siltation ponds, detention ponds. We need to be updated based on the existing effects of climate change."
Besides Monterrazas, the DENR is reviewing environmental compliance of other upland developments. It is monitoring social media statements and conducting joint surveys in affected communities.