CEBU CITY, Philippines — Slater Young said he and his family were victims of misinformation following backlash linking their hillside development to flooding caused by Typhoon Tino, in a statement posted Sunday on Instagram.
Young, who co-founded The Rise at Monterrazas, said he chose not to respond earlier to criticism to allow investigations to proceed.
The project, located in Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City, drew public scrutiny after severe flooding in November 2025 affected surrounding areas.
Young said an independent study by the University of the Philippines found that the development did not cause or worsen the flooding. He said the study attributed the flooding to heavy rainfall brought by the typhoon.
He said the storm delivered more than a month’s worth of rain in one day, which he said would have caused flooding regardless of existing structures.
Young did not identify the specific study or confirm whether it formed part of an official investigation.
He said the project exceeded required water management standards and retained up to 99.74% of excess rainwater during the typhoon.
Young said multiple independent bodies reviewed the findings and reached similar conclusions but did not name the groups.
He said he would address what he described as misinformation and called for discussions to focus on verified findings.
Public reaction to his statement remained mixed, with some social media users calling for accountability and others expressing support.
As of publication, Nestor Archival had not issued a statement following calls to halt the project. The Cebu City Council earlier said it would not pursue a cease-and-desist order against the development.
