A woman walks past the ongoing construction of Stria Hotel in the town of Santa Fe. | Photo by Aldo Banaynal
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has ordered Santa Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa to immediately suspend the construction of the controversial Stria Hotel in Bantayan Island, citing multiple violations of environmental laws and restrictions in a declared protected area.
In a letter dated August 18, 2025, Baricuatro directed Espinosa to submit the project’s documents within five working days and revoke any permits issued without national clearances. She stressed that the resort only had approval from the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for a three-storey building but has since expanded into an 11-storey structure.
“This drastic expansion not only undermines the original basis of the PAMB clearance but also constitutes a violation of national environmental laws,” the governor wrote.
Baricuatro warned Espinosa that failure to comply would be considered “willful disobedience” under Section 60 of the Local Government Code and could lead to administrative proceedings before the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 7.
She anchored her directive on her supervisory powers under the 1987 Constitution and RA 7160, stressing the province’s duty to enforce the rule of law, sustainable development, and environmental protection.
Baricuatro identified two major breaches allegedly committed by The Stria, a luxury hotel project of Fifth Avenue Property Development Corporation owned by former presidential assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino–encroachment into the 20-meter salvage zone under the Water Code of the Philippines, and violation of the 10-meter height limit imposed by DENR Administrative Order 2009-09 for projects inside protected areas.
Quoting Presidential Decree 1067, the governor reminded local officials: “The banks of rivers and streams and the shores of seas and lakes throughout their entire length are subject to an easement of public use. No permanent structure may be constructed within this area.”
She further underscored that Bantayan Island’s classification under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act subjects the Stria project to the DENR’s 10-meter height restriction.
“This directive takes effect immediately upon receipt,” Baricuatro stressed.
CALL FOR ACTION
In a separate letter to DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Paquito D. Melicor Jr., DENR-EMB 7 Regional Director Ma. Victoria V. Abrera, and DILG-7 Regional Director Leocadio T. Trovela, Baricuatro urged the agencies to assess possible administrative accountability of local officials and immediately act on the reported irregular construction.
She noted that site inspections confirmed the developer was building an 11-storey hotel despite the PAMB’s clearance for only three storeys.
“Review the actions of the Municipality of Sta. Fe in issuing zoning clearance, permits, and an ordinance for the project despite the PAMB Resolution highlighting DAO 2009-09 which capped 10-meter height limit from the Natural Ground Line (NGL) of the proposed plan; and determine possible administrative accountability of local officials under RA 7160 and related laws,” the governor wrote.
Baricuatro also asked the DENR-EMB 7 to immediately conduct a technical inspection to determine whether the building encroaches into the coastal easement and to assess the extent of its breach of height restrictions.
She ordered the agencies to submit a joint action report within seven working days and convene an inter-agency meeting within five days to consolidate findings and recommend enforcement measures, including a possible cease-and-desist order.
“Your agencies’ cooperation in this matter will contribute significantly to the protection of public domain lands and the preservation of the rule of law in our province,” Baricuatro said.
As of press time, the Santa Fe LGU has yet to issue a statement in response.
ECC SUSPENDED
The DENR yesterday confirmed the suspension of the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued to Fifth Avenue Property Development Corp. for the Stria Santa Fe Project after repeated violations.
According to DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla, the PAMB had approved only a three-storey, 10-meter structure, but monitoring by DENR-7 and EMB-7 confirmed the project had already exceeded that height.
Before the suspension, the EMB ordered the developer to pay ₱270,000 in penalties, while CENRO Cebu City issued three Notices of Violation between July and December 2024. On May 14, 2025, CENRO also ordered a halt to construction after the developer failed to comply.
“For failing to pay the fine, the EMB Region 7 suspended ECC No. ECC-OL-R07-2022-0310, as amended by ECC-OL-R07-2022-0417,” the DENR said.
Earlier, Stria management denied any violation, insisting the project complied with all legal requirements and environmental safeguards.
“There is nothing illegal about the development of The Stria,” the company said, adding that it secured an ECC, a building permit from the Santa Fe LGU, and a license to sell from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
The developer argued that no law prohibits an 11-storey building on its Torrens-titled property, claiming that the height restriction under DAO 2009-09 applies only to government-owned protected zones, not private land.
It also cited compliance with the 20-meter easement, the installation of a sewage treatment plant, and a materials recovery facility.
The Santa Fe LGU earlier defended its issuance of a building permit in September 2023, saying the ECC contained no height restriction and that inspections confirmed compliance with easement rules.
| Written by Jonnavie Villa, Mitchelle Palaubsanon, Caecent No-ot Magsumbol/FPL
