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Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Council bans selling of Times Beach lots
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
DAVAO CITY -- The City Council is serious in its campaign against people selling lots in the Times Beach area in Matina Aplaya as it approved four resolutions Tuesday prohibiting the illegal sale and construction of structures in the area.
The 24-hectare beach area has been declared a City Recreation Area under Presidential Proclamation 20.
The councilors approved a resolution requesting Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte's office to create a special task force to the sale of beach lots.
Another resolution requested the City Engineer's Office to look into the illegal occupants in the area and to enforce the applicable laws on the matter.
The council also approved a resolution requesting the housing division of the City Planning and Development Office to fast track the inventory of occupants and study the possibility of relocation and finally a resolution requesting City Administrator Wendel E. Avisado to immediately erect signboards in the recreation area to warn the public against enterprising personalities selling lots in the City Government property.
The four resolutions are based on the recommendations of the committee on environment and natural resources, chaired by City Councilor Arnolfo Cabling.
"We just want to address the issue on the selling of rights and that the matter be investigated and those doing it be prosecuted," Cabling said during the session.
Cabling earlier received a letter from former city environment officer Cleotilde Peniona requesting the Davao City Council committee on environment and natural resources, chaired by Cabling, to look into illegal structures including the fencing projects of some enterprising personalities.
In the letter dated August 22, 2005, Penonia called the attention of the City Council to the rampant squatting in the Recreation Area declared by Presidential Proclamation 20 as under the management of the City Government.
During a committee hearing of the environment committee last March 27, Penonia bared 84 semi-permanent and permanent structures and buildings constructed in the area.
The figure was confirmed during the committee hearing by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) land management service, city environment office, and City Planning and Development Office, which all conducted separate ocular inspections on the illegal squatting.
Peniona said some persons claiming rights over the area have been selling home lots to buyers for as much as P200,000.
Cabling said it would be better to put signboards that will warn the public that the area could not be sold because it is public property.
"This will warn future occupants in the area and prevent future problems to develop," he disclosed. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
(April 26, 2006 issue)
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