Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña is calling for a temporary suspension of development activities at the Monterrazas de Cebu project, urging city officials to prioritize flood-control measures before allowing further construction to proceed within the sprawling hillside development.
Osmeña has filed a proposed resolution before the Cebu City Council asking Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. to issue a cease and desist order (CDO) against Mont Property Group’s ongoing development activities, except those directly related to the construction and completion of flood mitigation facilities and water catchment systems.
Under the proposal, development work would remain suspended until all flood-control infrastructure and water catchments are completed and fully operational. The measure is expected to be discussed by the City Council in the coming days.
The vice mayor said the move is intended to protect communities located downstream of the 118-hectare development, particularly residents living in low-lying areas who could be affected by increased runoff from ongoing earthmoving activities.
In a Facebook post on Monday, June 15, 2026, Osmeña stressed that the issue should not be ignored simply because public attention has shifted elsewhere.
“The issue of Monterrazas is not currently in the public eye, but I don’t care. It is irresponsible and shortsighted to wait for public clamor to address it. To do nothing isn’t just unacceptable, it is CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT,” he said.
Osmeña maintained that public safety should take precedence over construction schedules and commercial interests.
“What I’m proposing for Monterrazas is not unreasonable: simply that the water catchments be completed before any other earth moving takes place. Until then, all further development is subject to a cease and desist,” he said.
He added that communities located below the project site could face heightened risks if flood-control infrastructure is not fully in place before additional development activities continue.
“Unfortunately, the people who are most at risk, the poor who live underneath the development, do not have PR firms and influencers to speak on their behalf. They do not have a voice. I will be their voice.”
The proposal comes despite Mont Property Group’s submission of a comprehensive flood-control and mitigation report to the City Council on May 18.
The report included engineering plans, schematic diagrams, progress updates and mitigation measures intended to address flooding concerns in Barangay Guadalupe and neighboring communities.
Copies of the documents were also provided to the Guadalupe Barangay Council.
According to the developer’s report, the Monterrazas property contains 14 catchment areas served by 24 existing detention ponds, with eight additional ponds previously proposed as part of the project’s flood-control program.
The company reported that all detention ponds have already been completed. It also stated that while engineering calculations required a minimum storage capacity of 26,701 cubic meters, the project currently has a combined flood-control capacity of 62,710.50 cubic meters.
The figure represents 240 percent more than the minimum requirement set by city regulations.
While Osmeña’s proposed resolution acknowledged the expanded capacity as beneficial, it argued that ongoing earthmoving activities unrelated to flood mitigation could still increase water flow downhill and potentially expose downstream communities to greater risks.
Aside from detention ponds, Mont Property Group reported undertaking drainage improvements in areas identified as contributing to flooding.
The company noted that a section of Guadalajara Street currently uses drainage pipes measuring 450 millimeters in diameter and requires larger infrastructure with a capacity of up to 1.5 meters.
In partnership with the city government, the developer said it completed 200 meters of upgraded drainage facilities along the road in 2012.
Mont Property Group also entered into a memorandum of agreement with Guadalupe Heights for the installation of additional flood-mitigation facilities, including storm pumps, holding tanks, stormwater catchments and generator sets.
The company said the system is designed to store excess rainwater during heavy downpours before pumping it into larger drainage facilities leading toward the V. Rama area.
The developer likewise identified improper waste disposal as a continuing problem affecting drainage efficiency in nearby communities. According to the report, garbage accumulation has repeatedly clogged drainage systems despite cleanup efforts.
The company said it had removed approximately 30 dump trucks of waste from affected areas but noted that improper disposal practices persist.
As he continued to push for preventive measures, Osmeña compared the Monterrazas issue to concerns he raised years earlier regarding high-rise developments in Cebu City.
He recalled proposing a moratorium in 2018 on the construction of buildings beyond the reach of the city’s only ladder fire truck, which at the time could reach up to 18 stories. The proposal faced criticism from sectors that viewed it as anti-development.
“I was called anti-business and anti-progress simply for saying lives are more important than buildings,” he said. “Why do we insist on waiting for someone to die before doing anything?”
The proposed resolution seeks to ensure that flood-control and water catchment facilities are fully completed and operational before any additional development activities are allowed to continue within the Monterrazas project.
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