Metro Manila, Philippines — The Department of Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday, November 14, has issued a stoppage order for the controversial Monterrazas de Cebu project following widespread flooding in the area during Typhoon Tino.
In the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on the anomalous flood control projects, DENR Region 7 Executive Director Laudemir Salac said 700 trees were cut without permission for the Monterrazas project and 10 environmental compliance conditions were violated.
Salac also said two out of 17 planned retention ponds have already collapsed.
“Stop po ngayon ang operation ng Monterrazas de Cebu,” he said. “Meron na pong notice of violation and stoppage order. I can assure you na as of Wednesday, hindi na po sila nag-o-operate.”
[Translation: Operations of the Monterrazas de Cebu have stopped. There is already a notice of violation and stoppage order. I can assure you that as of Wednesday, they are not operating.]
According to Salac, the law states that 100 trees should be planted to replace every native tree cut for the project. He said the Monterrazas de Cebu project now must plant 74,400 trees in place of the trees they cut.
Monterrazas de Cebu is co-developed by celebrity engineer Slater Young and has been under scrutiny after the devastating aftermath of the floods in the region. It previously faced backlash online as netizens pointed to the project as one of the alleged reasons for the deadly floods and landslides.
The DENR has since launched a probe after residents in Barangay Guadalupe and local officials called for an investigation into the water retention ponds of the Monterrazas.
Salac said the regional DENR office issued an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) but explained that it does not equate to a permit.
In the same hearing, DENR Region 7 Environmental Management Bureau Director Victoria Abrera said the Monterrazas project completed multiple technical reviews before it was approved in 2007.
“Kumpleto po ‘yan (It was complete) – public scoping, technical reviews. It has undergone four technical reviews, instead of three, then public hearing. There is an independent body which is recommended for approval,” she said.
Abrera was answering Senator Risa Hontiveros’ inquiry on the Monterrazas project after the recent widespread flooding in Cebu during Typhoon Tino in late October, which killed 204 people.
Asked on what the DENR plans to do to avoid a repeat of the project, Salac said the department can only implement “very strict monitoring.”
“We can’t prevent them from developing the area,” he said.
