The housing landscape has evolved into a progressive and more accessible level. No longer limited to traditional villages or subdivisions, people now embrace condominium towers with great amenities and accessibility. The Rise at Monterrazas, a project designed by LLG Architects and Slater Young, just joined the ever-growing list of luxury residential communities. However, there’s already a controversy surrounding it.

The Rise at Monterrazas

On August 24, 2023, content creator and engineer Slater Young went on YouTube to unveil what he called the Skypod 3.0, a.k.a, The Rise at Monterrazas de Cebu, Brgy. Guadalupe in Cebu City. The upcoming project is a high-rise living structure inspired by the world-famous Banaue Rice Terraces.

Young explained that they had three pillars in mind when designing the project:

• Architecturally forward, or “something that the Philippines or Cebu has never seen before”
• Sustainable, considering that it will be built on the side of a mountain.
• Beneficial to the future residents of The Rise

The luxury high-rise tower offers numerous units like three-bedroom villas, loft villas, bi-level pool villas, and a panorama penthouse worth over PHP300 million. On its website, The Rise detailed some planned sustainable building features, such as a rainwater irrigation system, solar-supplemented amenities, and a provision for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

Some netizens were instant fans

With its unique architectural design and premier amenities, The Rise received praise from netizens after its launch. Some said it could be one of the best architectural landmarks in the country.

“Grabe ang utak [na] meron kayo at ang team n’yo. I think you’d already considered the measures when it comes to natural phenomena (earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, etc.),” one netizen wrote on Facebook.

Others called The Rise’s architectural composition magnificent and very sophisticated.

But not everyone is on board

On the flip side, many are also worried about the potential negative impacts of this project on the environment, a concern amplified by the effects of climate change.

“This isn’t something people should take lightly considering Cebu was greatly devastated during Odette,” one netizen said.

Netizens also pointed out that people should leave mountains alone. “Ano, lahat na lang ba ng bakanteng lote tatayuan natin ng infrastructure?”

Cebu’s worsening floods

Many netizens pointed out that this development might cause flooding in Cebu to worsen.

According to a special report published by the SunStar, Metro Cebu has become increasingly susceptible to heavy floods, which have worsened over the years. The 2018 data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR 7) highlighted that a significant portion of downtown Cebu City downtown is exposed to flooding. 

These areas include parts of Barangays Binaliw, Pulangbato, Pit-os, Bacayan, San Jose, and Guadalupe, to name a few. Another international study found that portions of Cebu are predicted to be submerged 30 years from now amid the ongoing rise in sea levels. 

Young has yet to release a statement about the reactions on The Rise.

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