Screengrab from Slater Young

CEBU CITY, Philippines — After Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi) unleashed deadly floods across Cebu this week, killing dozens and forcing thousands to evacuate, one name has resurfaced in online conversations — Slater Young and his hillside project, The Rise at Monterrazas.

The massive residential development in Barangay Guadalupe has once again found itself in the center of controversy, as angry residents question whether unregulated hillside projects made the flooding worse.

As of November 6, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 114 deaths nationwide, including 71 in Cebu, with 127 still missing. Nearly two million people have been affected by the typhoon’s record-breaking rainfall — one of the most destructive weather events in recent years.

“It never floods in Guadalupe. But when Monterrazas started construction in 2007, it slowly started flooding already, and just this week, super lala ang baha,” one netizen wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another frustrated user said, “We prepared for #TyphoonTino, but we didn’t prepare for Monterrazas De Cebu’s sudden water flow. But who would have thought we’d be swimming in mocha-colored waters (aka anapog) from them when they said they had the best standard flood control in their area, right? Lol. Just in their area. Never in the community below them.”

The Monterrazas project was first made public in 2023 and has since sparked debates over the city’s environmental policies. Marketed as a “Banaue Rice Terraces-inspired” community, the luxury development promised a modern lifestyle built into Cebu’s scenic hillsides.

But critics say the price of progress is steep. Landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren previously warned that large-scale hillside projects could alter natural water flow, making lower areas more prone to flooding.

Photos shared online this week show bare mountain slopes and ongoing construction at Monterrazas. Commentator Jesus Falcis reposted one image, saying,

“It can clearly be seen that construction is still ongoing and KINAKALBO pa din ang BUNDOK. Literally, sabi nga sa kanta, they paved paradise to put up a parking lot!”

Environmental group Tagapagmulat also joined the discussion, writing:
“Cebu is drowning — not just in rain, but in greed. When developers strip our mountains bare and DENR looks away, floods become inevitable. It’s time to fight back. File a Writ of Kalikasan. Protect Cebu.”

Authorities have so far attributed the widespread flooding to Typhoon Tino’s unprecedented rainfall, which overwhelmed Cebu’s drainage systems. Still, the public outrage has been strong enough for Mayor Nestor Archival to order a review of the city’s flood-control measures and hillside development permits.

Developers of The Rise at Monterrazas have maintained that their project complies with environmental standards and includes features like water catchments and retaining walls. Slater Young has yet to issue a new statement, but in earlier interviews, he defended the project as one “designed with sustainability and safety in mind.”

For many residents, though, the floods have become a wake-up call. Beyond the storm and the finger-pointing, the conversation now turns to Cebu’s rapid growth — and the urgent question of how to balance development with nature’s limits.