I. Introduction: The Collision of Celebrity and Environmental Disaster

The widespread devastation caused by Typhoon Tino across Cebu has ignited a fiery public debate, centered on the role of unchecked urban and residential development. At the heart of this controversy is a heated confrontation between actor Albie Casiño and celebrity engineer and former Pinoy Big Brother winner, Slater Young, regarding Young’s high-end residential project in Cebu City.

Casiño took to Instagram Stories to directly challenge Young, accusing the engineer’s project, The Rise at Monterazas, of potentially contributing to the devastating, large-scale flooding that ravaged homes and lives across the region. This public “call-out” has polarized public opinion, pitting environmental concerns against engineering assurances and celebrity influence.

The incident underscores a crucial national conversation: the accountability of high-profile developers and the sustainability of construction projects built on critical, environmentally sensitive terrain.

II. Casiño’s Accusations: The Silent Engineer and the I-Told-You-So Moment

Albie Casiño’s critique was sharp and pointed. He juxtaposed an earlier statement from 2023, where Slater Young’s team, leading the controversial development, insisted their project was founded on “sustainable development,” had undergone over 300 design revisions, and was rigorously vetted by experts to ensure compliance with environmental standards.

Beneath this defense, Casiño launched his attack:

“Check comments. I thought you were listening to feedback. Seems like you’re awfully quiet now.”

He then shared an aerial photograph illustrating the massive flooding that crippled Cebu following Typhoon Tino. His caption was a direct challenge to Young’s past assurances: “Read that, guys. Slater comments. People predicted this over 100 weeks ago. Looks like they were right.”

Casiño’s public shaming focused on Young’s current silence, implying that the disaster had exposed the fatal flaws predicted by critics of the project—a development situated precariously on the mountain slopes of Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City.

III. The Core of the Controversy: The Rise at Monterazas

Slater Young’s project, launched in August 2023, is a high-end residential development named The Rise at Monterazas. Its key selling point is its innovative, terraced or step-like design on the mountain slopes, a concept Young stated was inspired by the ancient ingenuity of the Banaue Rice Terraces.

Despite the technical ambitions, the project faced immediate public scrutiny and expert questions for several reasons:

Slope and Stability Risk: The site’s location on a mountainside inherently carries significant risks of landslides, soil erosion, and flash flooding if drainage and slope protection are not meticulously designed and maintained.
Historical Precedent: Reports indicated that the broader Monterazas de Cebu area has a history of mudslides and flooding issues, making any new construction in the vicinity subject to intense scrutiny.

Slater Young previously addressed these concerns by asserting his belief in the project’s safety, noting that he would not attach his name to a risky venture. He confirmed that extensive soil tests and geotechnical studies were conducted, and that the project engaged environmental experts and green building certification bodies like the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC) to ensure strict adherence to standards.

IV. Netizen Polarization: Calls for Accountability vs. Defense of Facts

Casiño’s attack immediately resonated with a faction of the public, who expressed profound anger at the perceived destruction of natural resources for profit. Their comments echoed a broader frustration over environmental negligence:

“True, Alb, on your call-out to Slater. My God, Marimar, that’s what it is! Poor mountain, it’s been cleared. Without trees, the water flows straight to the houses at the bottom.”

Many agreed with the ecological principle that “everything is connected to everything else,” arguing that even if the project was geographically distant from the worst-hit areas, its contribution to deforestation and alteration of water runoff patterns was undeniable.

However, the critique was swiftly met with a strong, localized defense from Cebuanos who claimed Casiño was spreading “fake news” and lacked the factual context necessary for his accusations.

The central defense of Slater Young and the project was geographical:

Location Discrepancy: Netizens argued that the project site is in Guadalupe, Cebu City, which they claimed was largely spared from flooding.
Flooded Areas: The worst-hit areas were Talisay, Talamban, Mandaue, and Liloan, with Talisay being approximately 11 km away from Guadalupe, and Mandaue and Liloan being outside Cebu City proper.
The Picture: Defenders claimed the aerial photo shared by Casiño was of Talisay City, not Guadalupe, thereby exonerating Young’s project from direct responsibility for the major floods.

They urged Casiño to “research first” and question the local politicians in the severely affected cities and towns, implying that the flooding was a result of municipal planning failures rather than a single private development.

V. Legal Scrutiny and the DENR Investigation

Amidst the conflicting public narratives, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) initiated official action. On November 7, the DENR launched an onsite investigation team to determine whether The Rise at Monterazas had fully complied with its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and other regulations.

The ongoing probe is focused on critical infrastructure components, including:

Slope protection measures.
The drainage system and runoff management.
The project’s overall impact on the area’s natural landforms and water channels.

Slater Young’s camp clarified that the project does possess the necessary permits and that the site is properly zoned for residential use. However, the public outcry and the ongoing DENR investigation underscore the fact that legal compliance does not automatically equate to absolute safety or environmental sustainability in the face of increasingly severe climate events.

VI. Conclusion: Accountability and the Flight of the Couple

The controversy has broadened beyond just Slater Young. Many critics stress that he should not be “single-outed,” arguing that the local government officials who granted the permits should be held equally accountable for allowing mountain development in a high-risk zone.

However, the final chapter of this public drama was sealed by a detail that further infuriated critics: Slater Young and his wife, Kryz Uy, were spotted at the airport, allegedly leaving the country amidst the escalating issue. This perceived “exit” during a time of crisis for their fellow Cebuanos fueled speculation that the couple was attempting to escape the mounting public noise, demonstrating a perceived lack of concern for the suffering citizens.

The legal culpability of The Rise at Monterazas for the Typhoon Tino flooding remains unclear as the DENR investigation continues. Regardless of the legal outcome, the intense public debate sparked by Albie Casiño has served as a powerful call for greater transparency, stricter environmental governance, and a fundamental reevaluation of high-risk development projects in the Philippines.