Cebu City to inspect 65 developers over flood-mitigation compliance

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City will inspect 65 developers in the South District to verify whether their subdivisions have adequate detention ponds and other flood-mitigation measures, as the city probes how upland developments may contribute to flooding in downstream communities.

Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff of Mayor Nestor Archival, said the Office of the Mayor was requiring them to submit details of their existing detention ponds and other flood-mitigating measures.

The city will meet with the developers after the submission deadline and conduct on-site inspections from Aug. 20 to 27 to verify whether the facilities they reported actually exist, Siasar said during a press conference on Monday.

“Naa ta’y gitan-aw karon… dunay letter nga gipadala sa Office of the Mayor addressed sa 65 ka buok developers sa South Mountain Barangays,” Siasar said.

(We are looking into this now. The Office of the Mayor sent letters to 65 developers in the South Mountain barangays.)

The review will focus on detention ponds and other measures intended to manage stormwater within developments, particularly as concrete surfaces reduce the land’s ability to absorb rainfall.

“Tan-awon nato kung asa padulong ang ilahang tubig nga wala na ma’y… dili na man ma-absorb tungod sa ilang gisiminto,” Siasar said.

(We will determine where their water goes because the ground can no longer absorb it due to the concrete surfaces.)

Possible legal action

Siasar said the city could refer developers to the City Legal Office if the inspection would find lapses or deficiencies.

The city will also compare what developers actually built with the plans and commitments they submitted when they started construction, he said.

“Naa, i-refer nato sa City Legal, unya tan-awon nato ang ilang kontrata sa pagsugod kung ang ilang actual gihimo in line ba sa ilang proposal sa pagsugod sa ilang construction,” Siasar said.

(Yes. We will refer them to the City Legal Office and check their original contracts to determine whether what they actually built conforms with their proposals when they started construction.)

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Siasar did not provide a breakdown of how many developers had submitted their documents as of Monday but said the majority had already complied.

He said the city expected the remaining developers to submit their documents by Tuesday, the deadline.

The mayor’s office plans to publicly report the status of the review on Aug. 31, Siasar said.

South District focus

The 65 developers cover the South District, including both high-end and smaller developments, Siasar said.

Asked whether the list included major developments such as Monterrazas and Arcenas, Siasar said he believed they were included because they fall within the South District.

“I think apil sila kay sila ma’y naglangkob sa South District. Mga dagko, ang mga high-end ug mga low-end nga developers atong gi-consider. Kay nakacontribute man gyud sila,” he said.

(I think they are included because they are within the South District. We are considering both large, high-end and low-end developers because they contribute [to the issue].)

The city has not publicly established that any of the 65 developers violated flood-mitigation requirements. The inspection will determine whether their reported facilities exist and whether their actual development matches their approved or proposed plans.

Upland review

Earlier, Archival directed the Department of Engineering and Public Works to review upland developments, identify waterways and drainage outlets, and determine which major developments may contribute to downstream flooding.

The mayor also said the city would assess whether existing subdivisions have adequate water-catchment facilities.

“Kung maka-contribute sila, then i-require nato sila pag-have additional nga catchment,” Archival said. (If they still contribute to flooding, we will require them to construct additional catchment facilities.)

This follows a Cebu City Council resolution directing Archival to submit within 30 days a comprehensive report on his administration’s actions since he backed a proposed moratorium on new upland developments in December 2025.

Councilor Joel Garganera had first called for the moratorium on Dec. 16, warning that continued development in the city’s watersheds could aggravate flooding despite investments in downstream flood-control infrastructure.

Archival backed the proposal a day later and said the city would review upland activities and issue cease-and-desist orders against projects that violate environmental laws or lack permits.

Garganera later questioned the lack of a formal update on the mayor’s commitment, noting that 231 days had passed without a report to the council.

Councilors have since pushed for stronger oversight of upland developments, including a review of developers’ flood-mitigation measures and a watershed-wide approach to flood management.

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