The Cebu City Government is taking a closer look at the detention ponds and drainage system of the Monterrazas development after city councilors questioned whether the project can adequately handle runoff during extreme rainfall.
The review comes after the Cebu City Council referred back to the Technical Infrastructure Committee (TIC) its recommendation allowing construction and other ongoing activities at the development to continue.
Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff of Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, said the city is now reviewing the standards used to determine the size and capacity of Monterrazas’ detention ponds, including figures raised during the council’s discussions.
‘Initially, we are looking at the standards that became the basis of [work on] Monterrazas,’ Siasar said in Cebuano during a press briefing early this week.
He said the city is looking into the 300,000-cubic-meter volume cited during the council discussions and whether this is the appropriate basis for determining the required detention capacity.
The city is also examining the reported 6,000-cubic-meter capacity of a detention pond at the development and checking whether the facility is complete.
‘We will check how far are they in terms of the building and putting up of detention pond,’ Siasar said.
The review follows concerns raised by Cebu City vice mayor Tomas Osmeña over whether the detention ponds can accommodate the volume of water generated by the development during extreme rainfall.
Siasar said the city will consult the appropriate government agencies, offices and private entities to establish the applicable technical standards for detention ponds based on the expected runoff from the site.
‘If we have a standard that specifies the exact depth, height, and shape, then we’ll make sure that Monterrazas follows it,’ he said.
Siasar also said detention ponds are not necessarily required to have concrete bottoms.
Based on his observation of portions of the Monterrazas site, some areas had been excavated and left with soil at the bottom, which could allow water to seep into the ground.
But he stressed that the city still needs to determine the applicable standard before assessing whether the facilities comply.
The questions over Monterrazas’ drainage system stem from a technical review conducted by the TIC covering the development’s approximately 118-hectare property.
The committee identified 14 catchment areas and examined drainage routes, water-flow patterns, drainage outfalls, detention ponds, slope protection measures and road construction. The report documented ongoing earthmoving, road construction, slope protection and other development activities in several areas including The Rise and Montelago.
The committee, however, said its review was limited to fact-finding and technical assessment. It did not establish the cause of flooding in surrounding communities or make a final finding that Monterrazas was solely or directly responsible for any flooding incident or condition.
Despite the renewed review, the TIC has not recommended the issuance of a cease and desist order (CDO) against Monterrazas.
Siasar said the issuance of a CDO is primarily the responsibility of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which gave the go-ahead for the project.
However, he said the city government could consider issuing one if there is a compelling basis, including a recommendation from the TIC or the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW).