Proposal To Control Development: Capitol officials to snub public hearing set today

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and other provincial officials have decided to snub the invitation of the Cebu City Council to attend this afternoon’s public hearing that will tackle the proposed ordinance prohibiting owners of all government lots within the Banilad-Talamban corridor to develop them for commercial purposes.

“We will not waste our time for attending such public hearing because we already know that the city councilors have already decided to enact the proposed ordinance. We will just question the ordinance in court once they approve it,” said Rory Jon Sepulveda, the provincial consultant for information.

But the city legislators now headed by acting vice Mayor Hilario Davide III said the provincial officials and those heads of other government agencies that will be affected by the proposal should attend the public hearing so they can air their sentiments.

Aside from the Capitol, there are some other government agencies that that will be affected if the city will finally implement the ordinance.

Sepulveda said while the provincial officials have decided not to attend the public hearing, they may submit a position paper that will explain that such proposed ordinance is illegal.

He does not believe that the main reason of the City Council to enact the ordinance is that the city officials are afraid that traffic condition in Banilad would become worst if the construction of commercial establishments in government lots will not be stopped.

Sepulveda said that the provincial officials are ready to bring up the issue before the court once the City Council will approve it.

“Andam mi nga ipaabot bisan sa Korte Suprema kining maong isyu kun mapilde man kami sa local court,” he said.

Councilor Edgardo Labella who chairs the Committee on Laws of the City Council said the intention of the city to prohibit the construction of any commercial projects within the government lots in Banilad-Talamban corridor is within the bounds of the law, because the power to reclassify land uses is within the local government units.

“Kun gusto nila nga himoong housing sites ang mga yuta sa probinsya nga ania sa dakbayan, wala may problema basta bayran nila sa tukma nga kantidad,” Sepulveda said.

The Capitol officials have plans to build commercial buildings within their lots in Banilad that used to be occupied by the Cebu International School.

Meanwhile, the other related but separate ordinance that will declare all the province lots within the city as housing sites is scheduled to be submitted for third and final deliberation in this afternoon’s session of the City Council. – Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)