Thursday, November 13, 2008 Capitol to ask CH to reassess Ciudad; City officials say they’re open to talks
CEBU City officials are open to discussing with the Capitol the lifting of a moratorium on new development projects along Gov. Cuenco Ave. in Barangay Banilad.
But the fate of occupants of Province-owned lots will remain a major factor when they decide on the matter, they said.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday expressed support for the proposal of Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong to ask the City Government to reconsider its moratorium.
“Our wish continues to develop (Ciudad)… It is one of the best examples of a possible economic enterprise for the Province of Cebu in partnership with the private sector,” Garcia told reporters.
Maambong confirmed he will file a resolution next week asking the City Government to reassess Ciudad, a proposed P1.2-billion development that includes a mall and condominiums on a 2.8-hectare property.
Acting City Mayor Hilario Davide III said yesterday they have not received any communication from Capitol officials on their reported appeal to lift the moratorium.
Davide said the moratorium, which took effect in February last year, continues to be in effect, but the City will be open to any discussion with the Province.
On hold
“If you would recall, the root of the problem that time was the controversy on the lots under Provincial Ordinance 93-1. If that can be solved, then there is a possibility that there could be some changes in the position of the City Government,” he said.
Sun.Star Cebu tried to call Acting Mayor Michael Rama, who is attending a forum in Thailand, but he could not be reached for comment.
Citing traffic problems in the Banilad-Talamban corridor, the City Council approved in February last year a resolution requiring the City Planning and Development Office to study the traffic situation in the area, in coordination with City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom) and other offices.
While the study is ongoing, the planning office withheld approval for the construction of malls, schools and other similar developments in Banilad and Talamban.
The council’s move raised suspicions that the moratorium would be used by the City as a bargaining chip when it negotiates with the Province on the exchange of
properties.
A foiled land exchange agreement would have benefited some 5,000 families occupying Capitol-owned lots in the city.
The Capitol is still waiting for a locational clearance from the City Government’s planning Office.
Permit
The Fifth Avenue Development Corp. has pointed out that heavy traffic along Gov. Cuenco Ave. from Talamban to the Cebu Business Park is “caused primarily and summarily by the combination of small and medium businesses on both sides of the road.”
If the City allows the project to be constructed in Barangay Banilad, Garcia said it would mean millions of tax revenues for both the Province and City of Cebu.
Governor Garcia recalled that the City once refused to issue a building permit for the construction of the new Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) building in Barangay Sudlon.
The contractor has complied with all the requirements, but the City sat on the application for a building permit.
However, the building permit was reportedly released when Osmeña went on leave to seek medical treatment in the United States.
“Let us give full credit to the present mayor, Michael Rama, that the building permit was finally issued and the contractor can continue with the project, which has incurred unreasonable delays,” said Garcia.
Still studying
Provincial Board Member Agnes Magpale yesterday revealed the proposed construction of another income-generating project, a bagsakan center in Barangay Sudlon, Cebu City, is on hold because the contractor is worried that it might suffer the same fate as the Ciudad project.
“We hope there will be a coming together of cooler and more reasonable heads in the City Government beyond our personal biases and displays of arrogance that have no place in public service,” said Garcia.
In a phone interview yesterday, Citom Executive Officer Arnel Tancinco said their traffic impact assessment study is still ongoing and will be completed by the end of the month.
Although they already have initial results of some studies conducted last year, these have to be compared with results of the ongoing studies, which started after the completion of the Banilad flyover.
“We have to reassess the traffic situation and compare the results of the ongoing studies with those from last year’s study. We continue to do surveys so we can compare the results and then give recommendations as basis for decision-making, including inputs on whether the area is ready for new developments,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
The surveys being conducted focus on the number of vehicles that use the Banilad-Talamban corridor, the travel time and the dispersal of vehicles in intersections there.
Same stance
At City Hall, City Administrator Francisco Fernandez said that Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña has not changed his mind on the moratorium, and the instructions not to issue building permits for new development projects, including Ciudad, still stands.
Although the mayor is happy with the Capitol’s distribution of deeds of sale to of 93-1 lot occupants who have paid for their properties in full, he also asked about the status of occupants who have not paid for their lots.
“If they want to talk with the city officials, then there is no reason why they should not talk. There is no indication that Mayor Tom will change his mind but if you’re going to ask me, I don’t think so... he has asked me to check if it’s true that only 500 occupants were given deeds of sale, because there were supposed to be 1,500 families who paid in full,” Fernandez told reporters.
The mayor also reportedly wants to know what the Province’s plans are for the 3,500 families who have yet to pay for their lots in full. (LCR/GMD)
