IF FLOODING WORSENS: Osmeña vows to halt Monterrazas project

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES —

Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña has vowed to take all necessary steps to stop the Monterrazas de Cebu development in Barangay Guadalupe if severe flooding again hits downstream communities.

Osmeña reiterated his opposition following the Cebu City Council’s approval of a resolution authored by Councilor Jose Lorenzo Abellanosa, which declared that issuing a cease and desist order (CDO) against the developer was “not warranted.”

The council maintained that flooding in Guadalupe and nearby barangays cannot be attributed solely to the Monterrazas project, citing technical findings from the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). These reports identified multiple contributing factors, including clogged canals, aging drainage infrastructure, and accumulated waste.

The developer, for its part, has constructed 22 detention ponds as part of its flood mitigation measures.

Osmeña, however, rejected the council’s position, emphasizing that the burden of proof rests with the developer.

“This is not a criminal trial; this is a matter of public safety. The burden of proof is not on the City Government to establish that Monterrazas is the cause of the flooding. The burden falls on the developer to prove that their project will not worsen flooding—and they have not,” he said.

Osmeña’s opposition to the project dates back to 2008, when it was first proposed during his term as mayor. He has consistently argued that upland developments accelerate stormwater runoff, overwhelming drainage systems in low-lying areas.

“Do not blame the city for lacking drainage. There was no problem before. The problem began after the development,” he said, noting that roads and concrete surfaces act like channels that rapidly direct rainwater downhill.

He also questioned the adequacy of Monterrazas’ detention ponds, pointing to reported overflow incidents as evidence of their limitations.

“Clearly, it’s not big enough,” Osmeña said, explaining that detention ponds are designed to slow water flow, not contain it entirely.

He cited Fort Bonifacio in Metro Manila as an example of effective flood control, where large catchment basins temporarily store rainwater before releasing it gradually.

“If it’s not enough, then you make it bigger,” he added.

Beyond technical concerns, Osmeña framed the issue as part of a broader pattern in Cebu, where large-scale developments benefit affluent investors while exposing ordinary residents to greater risks.

“After all these years of service, why do favors go to the rich while the poor remain vulnerable? Don’t you see the pattern?” he said.

The Monterrazas controversy has persisted for more than five months, reignited by severe flooding during Typhoon Tino in November 2025.

While the council majority continues to attribute flooding primarily to systemic drainage deficiencies, Osmeña maintains that upland development is a significant aggravating factor.

“If there’s another heavy rain and serious flooding occurs, I will work very hard to cancel the entire project,” Osmeña said.