COUNCILORS of Bacolod City will discuss on the appropriate action they will take against Rey Francis Cabuga of Mushroom Realty Development Corporation, which owns the newly-constructed resort at Barangay Punta Taytay.
rDuring the hearing of the City Council committee on laws and ordinances, the councilors found out that the resort was already complete, despite the absence of the necessary permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Barangay Council, and the City Government of Bacolod.
Councilor El Cid Familiaran said over DYRL that this is the third time that Cabuga violated the national and local laws in the city.
He would rather pay fines and penalties of whatever amount as long as they start the construction without the benefit of getting the needed permits from concerned national and local government agencies, Familiaran said.
Cabuga also owns the Metro Inn hotel on 6th Street, which apparently occupies the gutter or the sidewalk, and the Metro Safari resort in Barangay Alangilan, which was being constructed without a building permit and without permission from the Barangay Council.
rCabuga constructed a two-storey hotel with two swimming pools, pavilion, huts, restaurants, among others in Barangay Punta Taytay, but failed to apply for a foreshore lease agreement with the DENR and for a building permit from the Office of the Building Official (OBO).
During the committee hearing, Jenamine Daclizon of Mushroom Realty Development Corporation said the resort is almost finished, and said they have not encroached the foreshore area.
However, Engr. Freddie Bataanon, chief of the Land Management Services of DENR-CENRO Bacolod, said the company has encroached the foreshore area by 30 meters.
Familiaran said this company can help attract tourists for the city but they need to comply with the law first.
Non-compliance of the said permits is a ground for the non-issuance of the occupancy permit and the Environmental Compliance Certificate, he noted.
The councilor said that since the owners have insisted that they have not encroached the foreshore area, they are given the benefit of the doubt.
The City Legal Office, OBO and the DENR will inspect the area again soon, he added.