CPA and BOC to start talk on building issue

CEBU, Philippines - The board of commissioners of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has given authority to its chairman to discuss with Bureau of Customs in Cebu (BOC) the terms and conditions on their continued stay at the CPA-owned building.

CPA Commissioner Tomas Riveral, who represents the cargo-handling labor sector, said that the board gave this authority to the CPA general manager during their last board meeting.

Earlier, the CPA gave BOC-Cebu until tomorrow, August 31, 2013 to stay in their building which the latter has occupied for free in the past eight years.

As of yesterday afternoon, BOC Cebu legal officer Dante Maranan said that there is no action from CPA yet on whether they will stay or vacate the day after tomorrow.

The Freeman tried to contact CPA general Dennis Villamor and BOC Cebu district collector for comments but they were not available as of press time.

The current building occupied by some 300 BOC officials and employees sustained huge cracks due to the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu and the rest of Central Visayas last year.

The 6.9 magnitude tremor caused huge damage on the Customs building as per inspection report by the Office of the Building Official in Cebu City which eventually prompted BOC officials here to ask assistance for them to be allowed to go back to their own building at Aduana in Pier I which was converted into Malacañang sa Sugbo in 2010.

Aside from this damage, CPA asked the bureau to move out as they will be using the building.

Dela Cuesta earlier said that the P48 million funds approved already by President Benigno Aquino III for the rental of a new building has not been released yet by the Department of Budget and Management.

While the funds is still with DBM, dela Cuesta made an appeal and requested CPA for them to stay beyond tomorrow.  (FREEMAN)