Sunday, November 25, 2007 (Philippines)

Salt beds and a watchman’s hut near the second Mandaue-Mactan bridge illustrate the contrasts still present in this fast-growing province. For Sun.Star Cebu’s 25th anniversary, community leaders look back at how Cebu has changed in the last quarter-century, and think ahead about what still needs to be done. (Sun.star photo/Amper Campaña) THE Barangay Looc medium-rise housing project has gone beyond an urban poor family’s capacity to pay because of additional costs, that the Mandaue City Government plans to use the two buildings for other purposes instead. To keep the structures safe and environmentally sound, City Hall needs almost 50 percent more of the P103.13-million contract price, which was only for raw land development and building construction. According to Mayor Jonas Cortes’ technical working group (TWG), indirect costs and construction of roads, canals, and other open spaces development worth about P22.44 million were not included in the contract. [full story]