The developers behind the Monterrazas de Cebu residential project have pushed back against claims from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that the mountainside development committed multiple environmental violations. The statements come as the project and media personality Slater Young, who endorsed it, face scrutiny following severe flooding in Cebu caused by Typhoons Tino and Uwan.
Young, who has promoted the development, has not publicly addressed the controversy.
On its official social media pages, Mont Property Group said it welcomes “all impartial investigations” by the DENR, but rejected “premature pronouncements” regarding alleged tree-cutting activities. The developers clarified that only shrubs and secondary undergrowth were cleared to “facilitate necessary earthworks.”
Mont Property Group also disputed circulating online reports linking the project to widespread flooding. According to the company, Monterrazas is located in Barangay Guadalupe, several kilometers away from the areas most affected by floodwaters in Liloan, Mandaue, and Talisay.
At a Senate hearing on Friday, November 14, DENR Regional Director for Central Visayas Laudemir Salac told lawmakers that over 700 trees were cut without the agency’s permit. Salac further claimed that Monterrazas contributed to flooding in nearby areas, citing the collapse of two out of 17 water retention ponds, and confirmed that the project has been issued a stoppage order.
The DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) also noted that Monterrazas had undergone an environmental impact assessment as part of its environmental compliance certificate (ECC), but that it does not know which official of the agency might have neglected their duties and let the project go through despite the alleged violations.
