JICA conducts roadmap study

CEBU, Philippines - An eight-man team from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is currently in Cebu to conduct a roadmap study of sustainable urban development for Metro Cebu.

The 18-month study, according to deputy team leader Kumazawa Ken, will cover all aspects of urban development, specifically on common priority concerns of local government unit’s comprising metro Cebu.

Assisting the JICA research team is the Metro Cebu Development Coordinating Board (MCDCB), particularly the Mega Cebu office.

“There is a need for a development study for Metro Cebu. We previously had MCLUTS (Metro Cebu Land Use and Transportation Study) which was followed by the Cebu integrated master plan. From 2010 onwards, there is no more study,” MCDCB planning and technical support manager Arnold Fabillar said.

The research team yesterday met with Cebu City officials to discuss the priority projects and concerns in line with the study.

City Traffic Operations Management executive director Atty. Rafael Christopher Yap spoke before the JICA team, which is composed of seven Japanese nationals and a Filipina, on public transport studies.

 City Engineer Kenneth Enriquez also spoke to the JICA team on infrastructure concerns specifically drainage and road quality which and City Planning Office assistant head Engr. Alipio Bacalso discussed land use data in the city.

City Administrator Atty. Jose Marie Poblete and executive assistant to the mayor Atty. Joey Daluz also conferred with the group urgent concerns of the city most specially on disaster response and the need to rebuild the Cebu City Medical Center which was damaged by the powerful earthquake last month.

After meeting with the Cebu City Government, the group went to see Talisay City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes, to hear as well their priority development projects.

Fabillar said the entire week will be devoted on meeting local government unit officials in Metro Cebu from Danao City in the north to Carcar in the south.

Meanwhile, South Road Properties (SRP) Management Office head Roberto “Bu” Varquez clarified allegations of extortion and failure to act on the request of carnival operations at the SRP.

Leonardo Noel, Jr. sent a letter of complaint to the council through the office of Councilor Richard Osmeña, formalizing his complaint against Varquez for not acting on the proposed operation of Lecian Carnival inside the SRP.

Varquez denied the alleged extortion and wondered about the complaint when Lecian is among the three establishments granted operations in the Kasadya sa SRP set to start on December 6 until the City Charter celebration.

“Noel is a broker who facilitated Lecian’s application. His letter requested for an exclusive operation on rides. The mayor does not want exclusive. It should be open. Gusto ni mayor more operators. So we disapproved his application,” Varquez said.—  Jessa J. Agua/ATO

He added that Noel’s request also stated that the firm wanted to exclusively operate at the San Pedro Calungsod template and not in the usual Kasadya venue which is at the Sugbo plaza.

After the disapproval of the exclusive proposal, Varquez said the owner of the carnival went to his office to secure a permit to operate at the Kasadya venue along with two other carnival operators. (FREEMAN)