Engineer and former reality show winner Slater Young is again under fire as Typhoon Tino’s destruction in Cebu revives public criticism of his hillside development, The Rise at Monterrazas.
The powerful storm has left at least 114 people dead and displaced thousands, with residents in Guadalupe and neighboring areas blaming the flooding’s intensity on nearby large-scale construction projects.
Young’s real estate venture, located along the slopes of Barangay Guadalupe and marketed as a “terraced, Banaue-inspired” residential complex, first drew backlash in 2023 for alleged environmental risks. Following this week’s disaster, social media users once more linked the floods to the site’s terrain-altering works.
“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 X user wrote. Another added, “We prepared for #TyphoonTino, but we didn’t prepare for Monterrazas De Cebu’s sudden water flow.”
Young had previously defended the project, claiming it went through over 300 design revisions to “ensure environmental safety and structural stability.” He also maintained that the development complied with all government approvals.
Environmental advocates, however, have repeatedly warned that construction on Cebu’s mountain slopes could reduce water absorption and heighten the risk of landslides and flooding.
As of press time, Young has yet to release a public statement regarding the latest controversy surrounding The Rise at Monterrazas following Typhoon Tino’s devastation.
