Paref-Northfield school insists it still has support of Ortigas firm
November 7, 2001 | 12:00am
The school director of the Paref-Northfield boy’s school insisted Monday that subdivision developer Ortigas & Company has not withdrawn its support for its controversial school construction project in Greenmeadows.
"We don’t think Ortigas & Company has withdrawn its support of the project," said Pierangelo Alejo. "We believe the firm was only seeking reassurances from us that we are complying with its terms and conditions."
Fernando Ortigas, a general partner of the firm, in a letter to school administrators dated Oct. 31, asked school administrators to "refrain and desist from making further representations that we have waived restrictions on the deed of donations as you had represented in the past."
But Alejo said the letter only asks Paref-Northfield to comply with the conditions the developer laid down in exchange for the waiver of the restrictions it had imposed on the controversial 3.1 hectare property in the upscale subdivision.
"Let us stick to the facts," he said, faulting The STAR for allegedly giving a misleading interpretation of the letter. He also expressed misgivings that the newspaper had obtained a copy of the letter before he did. He said he only received the letter yesterday.
Ortigas said in his letter that the firm gave its consent to the project provided that it violates no law and that it obtains the support of neighboring communities.
The firm also insisted that the project should be for the "general good" and that it should not aggravate the traffic situation in the area. Moreover, the firm should not be held responsible by any suit arising out of its decision to waive restrictions imposed on the donated property.
Ortigas noted the legal questions raised over the project and the growing opposition it has encountered from neighboring communities. In a similar letter he sent to Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. he said that the school has not "sufficiently" complied with the conditions the firm has laid down.
". . . We have requested Paref-Northfield to desist from making representations (that we had waived the restrictions) until they have resolved the issues we have raised," Ortigas said in a letter to the mayor, also dated Oct. 31.
The City Council has yet to issue a report on a probe it conducted over a memorandum of agreement then Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr. forged with the school last March granting Paref-Northfield rent-free use of the property for 50 years.
The school intends to build a grade school and a high school on the property — a project that, according to Councilor Antonio Inton Jr., violates zoning laws classifying the area as residential. The property is located in Greenmeadows Phase III.
Under the same agreement, the city would pay the school an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the value of all the improvements built on it should Paref-Northfield decide not to renew the contract at the end of its 50 year life.
The property would be then passed on to the ownership of the city government. Inton said the refund clause is very disadvantageous to the city government, considering that it has already allowed the school use of the property for 50 years.
The deed donating the property to the city government also prohibits a large-scale project such as the one Paref-Northfield plans to undertake, according to Inton. A presidential decree requires that subdivision development projects reserve open spaces for parks. Such open spaces are usually donated to the local government.
School officials earlier said that the developer had waived restrictions imposed on the donated property. But Ortigas & Co. agreed to the project under conditions that the firm now deems to have remained unmet.
"We don’t think Ortigas & Company has withdrawn its support of the project," said Pierangelo Alejo. "We believe the firm was only seeking reassurances from us that we are complying with its terms and conditions."
Fernando Ortigas, a general partner of the firm, in a letter to school administrators dated Oct. 31, asked school administrators to "refrain and desist from making further representations that we have waived restrictions on the deed of donations as you had represented in the past."
But Alejo said the letter only asks Paref-Northfield to comply with the conditions the developer laid down in exchange for the waiver of the restrictions it had imposed on the controversial 3.1 hectare property in the upscale subdivision.
"Let us stick to the facts," he said, faulting The STAR for allegedly giving a misleading interpretation of the letter. He also expressed misgivings that the newspaper had obtained a copy of the letter before he did. He said he only received the letter yesterday.
Ortigas said in his letter that the firm gave its consent to the project provided that it violates no law and that it obtains the support of neighboring communities.
The firm also insisted that the project should be for the "general good" and that it should not aggravate the traffic situation in the area. Moreover, the firm should not be held responsible by any suit arising out of its decision to waive restrictions imposed on the donated property.
Ortigas noted the legal questions raised over the project and the growing opposition it has encountered from neighboring communities. In a similar letter he sent to Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. he said that the school has not "sufficiently" complied with the conditions the firm has laid down.
". . . We have requested Paref-Northfield to desist from making representations (that we had waived the restrictions) until they have resolved the issues we have raised," Ortigas said in a letter to the mayor, also dated Oct. 31.
The City Council has yet to issue a report on a probe it conducted over a memorandum of agreement then Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr. forged with the school last March granting Paref-Northfield rent-free use of the property for 50 years.
The school intends to build a grade school and a high school on the property — a project that, according to Councilor Antonio Inton Jr., violates zoning laws classifying the area as residential. The property is located in Greenmeadows Phase III.
Under the same agreement, the city would pay the school an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the value of all the improvements built on it should Paref-Northfield decide not to renew the contract at the end of its 50 year life.
The property would be then passed on to the ownership of the city government. Inton said the refund clause is very disadvantageous to the city government, considering that it has already allowed the school use of the property for 50 years.
The deed donating the property to the city government also prohibits a large-scale project such as the one Paref-Northfield plans to undertake, according to Inton. A presidential decree requires that subdivision development projects reserve open spaces for parks. Such open spaces are usually donated to the local government.
School officials earlier said that the developer had waived restrictions imposed on the donated property. But Ortigas & Co. agreed to the project under conditions that the firm now deems to have remained unmet.
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