A Cebu City technical committee has recommended allowing the 118-hectare Monterrazas de Cebu development to proceed after finding that its inspected water-retention facilities exceed design requirements, according to developer Mont Property Group.
The Technical Infrastructure Committee (TIC), through Resolution No. 2026-008 adopted Sept. 8, approved a fact-finding report for submission to the City Council following concerns over whether the mountainside development contributes to flooding in surrounding communities.
The review involved inspections by the TIC, Department of Engineering and Public Works, Office of the Building Official, and Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office.
Mont Property Group said inspectors verified seven detention ponds in Catchment 01, covering the Montelago sector, with a combined capacity of 27,483.4 cubic meters. This was more than three times the 8,220-cubic-meter design requirement.
The company said the ponds are designed to retain stormwater and release it gradually into municipal drainage systems, helping manage runoff from the development.
The committee’s findings, as cited by Mont Property Group, said the evidence was insufficient to conclude that Monterrazas was “solely or directly responsible” for flooding in low-lying areas.
The finding did not, however, establish that the development makes no direct or indirect contribution to flooding, leaving the broader drainage network as part of the assessment.
The report also identified wider infrastructure concerns, including developments without retention ponds, inconsistent culvert sizes, and altered downstream drainage alignments.
These findings put the Monterrazas issue in the broader context of Cebu City’s drainage capacity, where flooding can result from multiple infrastructure and runoff factors rather than a single development.
The committee’s recommendation also does not constitute a blanket clearance from all regulatory or environmental requirements. The report is being forwarded to the City Council for further action.
“Mont Property Group will continue to ensure all of our projects comply with the Government’s regulations,” General Manager Camille Bondad said.
The development has faced heightened scrutiny as Cebu experiences increasingly intense rainfall and communities downstream remain concerned about the potential impact of large-scale upland projects on flood risks.
