CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Monterrazas de Cebu project continues to follow a long timeline of development milestones, ownership changes, and regulatory reviews, nearly two decades after its initial approval.
A report from the office of Councilor Joel Garganera, chairman of the Cebu City Council’s Committee on Environment and vice chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), outlines key events in the project’s timeline.
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Initial government approval
The project began in May 2007, when the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) granted Landco Pacific Corporation an Environmental Compliance Certificate allowing construction to proceed.
A year later, in April 2008, the Cebu City government temporarily revoked Landco’s development permit after a mudslide struck Barangay Guadalupe, which sits directly below the site.
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Shift in ownership
Control of the project shifted in March 2010, when Genvi Development Corporation acquired Monterrazas from Landco.
Not long after, in July 2011, the Cebu City government issued a cease-and-desist order against Genvi following flooding incidents in nearby lowland communities.
The following month, the company acknowledged “lapses in flood-control” measures during the project’s early phases.
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New major transition
Years later, another major transition came in February 2019, when 8990 Holdings, Inc. bought out Genvi and took over the entire development.
In July 2021, Cebu City enacted an earth-balling ordinance authored by Garganera, setting rules for the handling and transplantation of trees affected by construction.
Public scrutiny resurfaced in December 2021, after widespread flooding caused by Super Typhoon Odette renewed questions about the effects of upland developments on natural water runoff.
‘The Rise at Monterrazas’
A new phase of the project was introduced in August 2023, when plans for “The Rise at Monterrazas,” a condominium development, were announced by their industry partner Slater Young.
The announcement drew criticism the following month after the unveiling of its terraced, Banaue-inspired design.
Later that year, on December 20, 2023, a tree-cutting request from 8990 Housing Development appeared in the Cebu City Council’s regular session agenda, accompanied by recommendation and inspection documents from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro).
The project moved forward in November 2024, when the official groundbreaking for The Rise was held, with completion targeted for 2030.
Policy amendments
Regulatory adjustments continued the following year. On June 25, 2025, Cebu City amended the earth-balling ordinance, requiring developers to retain all existing trees within project sites.
Inter-agency coordination followed on August 18, 2025, Garganera met with representatives of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO), the City Planning and Development Office and the Office of the Building Official to draft the implementing rules and regulations for the amended measure.
That same month, Slater Young met with Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival to offer cooperation on flood-control and drainage improvements.
Backlash following Typhoon Tino
Concerns intensified in November 2025, when severe flooding hit lowland portions of Barangay Guadalupe hours after Typhoon Tino’s onslaught in Cebu.
Three days later, on November 7, DENR launched a multi-stakeholder investigation into Monterrazas’ compliance with its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).
On the same day, the Barangay Council of Guadalupe issued a resolution calling for a technical inspection of the development’s retention ponds and drainage systems and urging City Hall, DENR, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to conduct a full probe.
Nearly a two-decade development
The sequence of ownership changes, policy shifts, and recurring flooding concerns underscores the long-running scrutiny surrounding the Monterrazas de Cebu development.
With a multi-agency investigation now underway, authorities are expected to determine whether current project conditions meet regulatory standards and whether additional corrective measures will be required to address issues raised over the years.
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