Monterrazas de Cebu, a prominent property development project, has found itself at the center of a regulatory storm as it comes to light that its 2007-issued Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) was originally granted for an entirely different project concept.
The 2007 ECC was originally issued for a housing project featuring individual houses and lots, a far cry from the current condominium building plans.
This earlier ECC pertained to a venture located in Guadalupe and Sapangdaku within Cebu City, with Landco Pacific Corp. and Genvi-Agro Industrial Corp. as the original proponents.
The initial project envisioned a residential subdivision with various amenities, including a community center, grocery store, laundry facilities, coffee shop, gym, and schools.
However, following the acquisition by 8990 Holdings Inc. from Genvi, the project underwent substantial revisions, prompting the need for a new ECC that aligns with these alterations.
Of significance is the fact that William P. Cunado, who authorized the ECC, was also at the center of approving the contentious Manila Bay reclamation projects, including the controversial Bacoor reclamation initiative.
Senator Cynthia Villar has raised concerns of corruption related to this project, claiming she was excluded from public consultations or hearings concerning it.
In October 2022, Villar expressed further dismay upon discovering that the ECC for the Bacoor reclamation project had expired, and it was Cunado who facilitated its revalidation.
Cunado subsequently retired from the DENR in March 2023, leaving these issues under heightened scrutiny.
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