CAUSE OF DISASTER: Was ‘The Rise’ Monterrazas project the reason behind Cebu’s Tino flood

Months after Typhoon Tino submerged parts of Cebu, with numerous homes, livelihoods, and loved ones lost, the question remains: was the disaster purely natural, or did human development make it worse?

At the center of that question is The Rise at Monterrazas, the luxurious condominium project in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, and the long-awaited response of celebrity engineer Slater Young.

When the issue began

The issue began on Nov. 4, 2025, when Typhoon Tino hit Cebu, bringing heavy rain and flooding several communities. As waters rose, attention turned to upland projects, especially Monterrazas, with residents and online users questioning its role in the flooding.

In the days that followed, public concern intensified. Videos showing runoff from the mountain areas circulated online, prompting the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Nov. 7 to investigate the project’s compliance and its possible impact on water flow during the typhoon.

As scrutiny increased, DENR issued a suspension order on the project, Nov. 10. Despite this, Mont Property Group denied cutting more than 700 trees and said it was too early to link the project to the widespread flooding, even as reports said that only 11 out of 745 were left after being cut sans permits, Nov. 15.

The controversy persisted into the following year. On Feb. 3, 2026, a Cebu City councilor filed a resolution calling for a cease-and-desist order (CDO) on the Monterrazas project over alleged violations, including not securing tree-cutting and special hauling permits. This was reinforced on March 3, when the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) formally endorsed the request and forwarded it to Mayor Nestor Archival.

An independent study conducted by the University of the Philippines shifted the narrative on March 9, indicating that the rainfall brought by Typhoon Tino was sufficient to cause flooding even without the Monterrazas development.

On April 9, Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña stepped up and warned the developer it must prove the project will not worsen future flooding, or risk cancellation if similar incidents happen again.

DENR lifted the cessation of operations order on April 18 after the project proponent completed documented remedial measures, met compliance milestones, and settled the required penalties.

Months after the disaster, engineer Slater Young broke his silence the following day, April 19, citing the study and asserting that “science has spoken” in favor of the project. However, by April 22, it was clarified that the study was not yet complete. 

Project shadowed by risks

But long before the catastrophe, The Rise at Monterrazas had already been one of Cebu’s most ambitious and controversial developments.

Originally begun in 2007, the project is a multi-billion-peso luxury mountainside residential development in Barangay Guadalupe, featuring Banaue rice terraces-inspired structures built along the slopes of the Guadalupe watershed. 

Its large scale and location near major river systems connected to low-lying areas make it a significant upland development in Cebu.

Yet concerns about the project surfaced early on.

In April 2008, the Cebu City government temporarily revoked its development permit after a mudslide hit Barangay Guadalupe, which lies directly below the project site. In July 2011, the city issued a cease-and-desist order against Genvi following flooding incidents in nearby lowland communities. The following month, the company admitted to “lapses in flood-control” measures during the project’s early phases.

The issue drew even more attention because of its link to engineer, content creator, and Pinoy Big Brother winner Slater Young, one of the most visible figures connected to the “passion project” through Mont Property Group. 

As someone closely associated with the development, he became the face of the controversy, with many people expecting him to address the claims that Monterrazas may have worsened the flooding.

Breaking the silence 

For nearly five months after the typhoon, Young remained silent as speculation around the project grew online.

It was only on a Sunday evening of April 19 that he publicly addressed the issue, saying the silence was intentional as they deliberately waited for technical findings. 

“Because we believed that the right thing to do was to let the proper investigations run its course, to let the science and evidence speak rather than to add to all the noise and confusion,” Young said, “and that is why we chose to stay quiet.”

Through a video message posted on his social media, Young said that the findings were clear: the Monterrazas project did not cause the flooding.

The science behind the claim 

In his statement, Young pointed to an independent study conducted by UP, which examined the flooding in the context of rainfall data and watershed conditions.

According to the findings, he cited that the intensity of rainfall during Typhoon Tino was enough to flood Cebu’s drainage systems. Serious flooding would have occurred even without the Monterrazas development, and the project’s systems were designed to manage water flow, not accelerate.

He added that several independent groups reviewed the same evidence and came to similar conclusions, hoping this “verified truth” would guide future discussions.

Design and mitigation 

Young also emphasized that the project includes rainwater catchment and detention systems intended to slow down runoff, pointing to specific figures to support the claim.

He said the Monterrazas development not only met water management standards but “almost doubled” them, with detention systems able to capture up to 99.74% of excess rainwater during heavy rain.

Instead of allowing water to flow rapidly downhill, these systems are designed to release it gradually, reducing the risk of sudden surges that could contribute to flooding in lower areas.

Study still unfolding

A professor from UP Diliman Institute of Environmental Science & Meteorology (UPD IESM) clarified in a report by Rappler on April 22 that the study often cited in defense of the Monterrazas project is “not yet finished,” casting doubt on claims that a final scientific conclusion has already been reached. 

The researcher explained that the analysis remains incomplete as teams are still evaluating additional rivers affected by Typhoon Tino and require more external data to validate their findings. 

“On our [social media] post, we mentioned that the study was still ongoing because we’re finishing all the other rivers and for us, what was really most affected was the Mananga River and Cotcot River,” said Dr. Mayzonee Ligaray, head of the UP IESM’s Environmental Hydrology Laboratory to Rappler.

Beyond one answer

If anything, the issue shows that disasters are rarely the result of a single factor.

Rainfall, terrain, infrastructure, and human activity all interact in complex ways. While “science” may point to rainfall as the main cause, public concern reflects a deeper worry about how development changes the environment over time.

As Cebu faces stronger weather events, the more urgent question may no longer be who to blame for the last flood—but how to prepare for the next one.