Geonzon Street to remain open to public

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government remains firm in its decision to make W. Geonzon Street in Barangay Apas accessible to the public.

Mayor Michael Rama earlier gave Filinvest Land Inc. and Cebu Holdings Inc. one week to settle their dispute over the road. The latter owns Cebu IT Park through its Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corporation.

“Today is the one week. Let it be known to all of them that the position (of the city government is to make the road accessible to all),” Rama said.

“The stand of the city government, when there is such a development on that road, that road being a road should always be made an access especially on the issue of traffic,” he added.

Last Friday, Allan Alfon, Vice President of FLI, sent a letter to CPVDC to discuss and resolve the issue.

“As drivers of economic prosperity for Cebu, we believe we can co-exist and anchor our strengths together for the common good. We feel we can work things out without any disregard to our respective business objectives and those of the clients we serve,” the letter says.

However, the two parties have yet to meet as of yesterday, says FLI communications consultant Cerwin Eviota. On the other hand, lawyer Jeanette Japzon, corporate manager of CHI, said the parties are already working together to resolve the issue.

“The Province, CPVDC, and Filinvest are already working together to resolve the matter. Lawyers on both sides are currently drafting terms of a possible agreement which ensure that rights and interests of all parties are protected and respected,” Japzon said. The Cebu province owns the lot that Filinvest is building on.

Rama vowed that the city government will destroy any structure built in the contested property without the consent of the city.

“(They) should know what to do, because if they will insist fencing, I will destroy it, if they will insist doing something without the permission of the city government I will destroy it,” Rama said.

When asked on the fence at the old Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center, he said the city will remove it if it would make the road more accessible.

Japzon, ealier said the road has always been open to the public.

“W. Geonzon Street has always been open for Barangay Apas and the rest of the public to access through Salinas Drive,” Japzon said.

She explained that CPVDC did not hinder the public from passing the street.

“By mere tolerance, we are not preventing the public from traversing the existing W. Geonzon St. What Cebu I.T. Park investors and locators are concerned about is breaching our boundary to create a new access. It is unfortunate that the focus is on Geonzon road when there are at least two other access points to the project which is outside the I.T. Park, including Salinas Drive,” she said.— (FREEMAN)