Thursday, June 26, 2008 ‘All systems go’ for purchase of lots near Banilad flyover
ALL property owners except one have signed the contracts for the use of their lots to widen Gov. Manuel Cuenco Ave., as work on the Banilad-Talamban flyover continues.
“It seems it is all systems go for the acquisition and payment by the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) of the different lots affected by the road widening,” Councilor Hilario Davide III told the City Council yesterday.
He heads the council’s ad hoc monitoring committee formed to monitor the ongoing construction of the project at the junction of Gov. Cuenco Ave. and A.S. Fortuna St.
Davide said he spoke with Agustinito Hermoso, DPWH 7 legal counsel, and was told that as of last Tuesday, all but one of the 34 lot owners have signed their contracts.
The documents, Davide was told, are already in the hands of DPWH 7 Director Josefino Rigor for his signature.
Davide said that aside from P40 million received two weeks ago, the DPWH 7 already has P80 million more as payment for the properties, including nine lots considered critical for the project.
Target
WTG Construction and Development Corp. had said that if widening could start last June 15, they would finish the project by the end of next month.
“Last Monday, Engr. Cris Semilla of the WTG informed the committee through its chair (Davide) that as of that date (June 23), no authority to enter the affected properties has yet been issued by any of the lot owners,” the committee said in its report.
Davide said that the Carungays, owners of Cesar’s Foodland Inc. whose property “is easily the most critical area in the construction, expressed some reluctance to execute the contract because of certain concerns.”
But Mayor Tomas Osmeña acceded as of Tuesday night to the Carungays’ request and asked the City Traffic Operations Management Citom) to accommodate their concerns.
The mayor told the Citom to allow Cesar’s Foodland Building tenants in Barangay Banilad to back out to traffic and use the space under the soon-to-be-finished flyover as
parking area.
Parking
He overturned a decision last April by Citom, which refused to grant the request of Cesar’s Foodland Inc. because they violate a few city ordinances, especially on traffic management and the building code.
But the mayor, said City Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem, understood the plight of the establishment owners and clients as 46 parking slots will be reduced to just six once Gov. Cuenco Ave. is widened for the flyover construction.
A wide portion of Foodland’s parking space will be used by to create service roads for motorists while the contractor finishes building the flyover.
The Carungays also asked the City to allow tenants to park cars diagonally—nose in, back out.
They likewise asked for exclusive privilege to park cars at the vacant space under the flyover, and for the Citom to provide a U-turn slot to make parking easier.
Jakosalem told the council yesterday that Citom Executive Officer Arnel Tancinco told him that they will just have to give in to the request, then “wait and see.”
“They will just experience it before Citom can decide,” the councilor said. (RHM)
