Residents want road concreting project stopped

CEBU, Philippines - Instead of rejoicing that barangay officials cemented the road passing through their place, 52 families who are members of a homeowner’s subdivision in barangay Bacayan are not happy and are asking for the road concreting to be stopped.

In a letter to Mayor Michael Rama, Esmeraldo Maliño, the president of PHASAVILLA Homeowners Association (Phase 2A), said he along with 51 other residents are against the road concreting project in their place for fear that it may now be used as a public road.

He claimed that the road is privately-owned by their association and the government has nothing to do with it.

While some could only dream of the government developing their roads, Maliño said they are not in favor of having their private road converted for public use because they will lose their privacy and it will make Villa Leyson more crowded.

 But Bacayan barangay captain Armando Borces strongly denied that the road they have cemented is private property. He said the barangay has an existing map to prove that the road is a barangay road.

The members of the City Council’s committee on urban planning headed by Councilor Noel Wenceslao said the claim of the homeowners association that it owns the road shall not be taken for granted.

Wenceslao said if the road lot is part of the barangay road then barangay officials have the power to improve it and make the road passable and convenient for the public.

Because of the conflicting claims of ownership, the City Council had adopted the recommendation of the committee on urban planning that the issue will be referred to the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to conduct a survey and for the city assessor’s office to determine the registered name under the tax declaration.

The Bureau of Lands has been asked also to help verify the ownership of said road lot. The City Council also suggested that the barangay officials should conduct a consultation of those affected before the implementation of projects.  (FREEMAN)