Sunday, December 02, 2007 Treat Lahug fairly, captain asks
BARANGAY Captain Mary Ann de los Santos’ letter asking for the Cebu City Council to refer Lahug’s boundary conflict with its neighboring barangays to the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) was merely noted in last Wednesday’s regular session.
She would have wanted the council to have the CPDO conduct public consultations before the body’s committee of three makes its recommendations.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña has asked the council to pass an ordinance amending Lahug’s boundary relative to Barangays Luz, Apas, Busay and Camputhaw. De los Santos asked council members to decide based on their sense of justice, not on political affiliation.
Because Lahug is in the north district, the committee is composed of three south district city councilors.
De los Santos said that of the city legislators to whom she sent copies of her letter, only City Councilor Edgardo Labella responded.
The committee on laws chairman, she said, assured her that the mayor’s request was referred to “impartial” city councilors.
Osmeña’s request practically strips Lahug of prime areas, which give the barangay its biggest share of taxes from establishments.
“He (Osmeña) will give Marco Polo (Plaza Hotel) to Busay, (Asiatown) IT Park to Apas, ang Waterfront (Cebu City Hotel and Casino) to Luz, Parklane (Hotel) to Camputhaw. Unsay ibilin niya nako, McDo ug Jollibee? I remain to be his whipping girl,” she said.
Osmeña last October asked the city council to approve an ordinance “declaring the proper delineation of boundaries between Barangay Luz and Lahug.”
As recommended by the CPDO, Osmeña favored Luz in its request to declare within its jurisdiction the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino and the Grand Convention Center, among other establishments.
In the barangay maps posted in the City Government’s website, these two establishments fall within Lahug.
The same is true for the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel in Nivel Hills, the Asiatown IT Park and Parklane Hotel.
However, Barangay Busay wants to claim Marco Polo, while Apas believes it should have Asiatown IT Park’s taxes, and Camputhaw insists Parklane falls within its territory.
Although the mayor only endorsed Luz’s case, the CPDO’s recommendation virtually favored all those barangays with which Lahug has a boundary conflict.
The CPDO rejected the traditional way of setting boundaries by using Archbishop Reyes Ave. as boundary line, saying Grand Convention and Waterfront is closer to Luz’s barangay hall.
It also gave weight to Luz’s collecting garbage and keeping the peace in the area.
However, it used Salinas Drive as the boundary between Lahug and Apas, so that the IT Park falls within Apas’ territory. (RHM)
