Developer Invests P100 Million in Off-Site Flood Mitigation
Monterrazas de Cebu has spent over P100 million on flood-control projects outside its property lines to protect nearby neighborhoods. The announcement comes after Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña called for a halt to all construction at the site until all water catchment facilities are verified as finished and fully functional.
Osmeña wants the development paused because he believes flood-control measures must be completely active before any more earthmoving works continue. He maintains that developers must prove their projects will not cause worse flooding in downstream communities, especially in Barangay Guadalupe.
Off-Site Drainage Upgrades Completed
In a statement released on June 24, 2026, Monterrazas detailed completed off-site projects. The Quijada Road Rehabilitation, a P60 million project, overhauled the entire one-kilometer road and its drainage system, finishing in April 2025 ahead of Typhoon Tino. The Guadalajara Drainage Upgrade involved upgrading a 200-meter stretch of critical drainage line, increasing the pipe diameter from 450 millimeters to 1,500 millimeters, boosting drainage capacity by about tenfold.
After Typhoon Tino, an independent drainage study funded by Monterrazas showed that Guadalupe Heights and Guadalajara are low-lying areas where rainwater cannot drain away through gravity alone. To address this, the company invested around P50 million into the drainage study and new pumped drainage stations that actively push floodwaters into the main drainage network.
Pumping Stations and Garbage Collection
A pumping station in Guadalupe Heights is already operational. Monterrazas doubled its capacity from three to six pumps after the typhoon, which successfully helped reduce flooding during heavy rains on June 3. A similar pumping station is being planned for Guadalajara. To help prevent drainage blockages, Monterrazas is also funding a dedicated garbage collection unit for Barangay Guadalupe to tackle improper waste disposal.
Internal Detention Ponds Exceed Requirements
Inside the development, Monterrazas has built 24 detention ponds with a combined capacity of 62,710.5 cubic meters. This exceeds the 26,701 cubic meters required under the project's approved flood mitigation plan by about 240 percent. The developer also recognizes the stress heavy rains place on local residents.
"We know that whenever heavy rains come, many families in the surrounding communities worry about the possibility of flooding. We hear those concerns, and we understand the anxiety that comes with them," said Marie Camille Bondad, general manager of Mont Property Group. Bondad added that the company remains committed to investing in more flood-control infrastructure and working alongside government agencies and local communities.
Monterrazas noted that flooding in the area is caused by multiple overlapping factors, including watershed conditions, limited downstream drainage, waste management issues, and increasingly intense rainfall events.
