In a meeting yesterday in Quezon City, the lot owners said they were never opposed to the ongoing beautification project being undertaken by the city government.
The Quezon City development plan hopes to bring back the sidewalks to pedestrians. Construction work and landscaping have started for the sidewalks on Tomas Morato Avenue, one of the most popular restaurant rows in the metropolis. The project includes laying of bricks and placing lamp posts in front of business establishments, but takes away parking space, to which the restaurant owners have expressed opposition.
But Edwin Rodriguez, president of Logistics Philippines and one of the lot owners, said only a handful of business establishments are opposed to the project.
"The business establishments are only tenants. They do not own the lots and yet they are the ones making noise. If there should be anyone making complaints, it should be the lot owners since we are the real stakeholders in the area," Rodriguez told The STAR.
He said some of those opposed to the project are businessmen affected by the clearing operations being conducted by the Metropolitan Development Authority (MMDA).
Rodriguez said he was among those who were given a notice to voluntarily dismantle structures along the sidewalk, to which he has complied.
Others who ignored the notice were unprepared when the MMDA demolition crew arrived.
Joseph Stephen Santos of Pure Fountain Inc. said lot owners numbering more than 20 are banding together to correct the wrong impression that most of the businesses in the area opposed to the project.
"I have attended several meetings with the business groups and the issue of the development project has never been brought up," he said.
Fe Rubio, a long-time resident and another lot owner in the area, said she was surprised why the project is being criticized when it will bring in progress to the area.
She said this is the first time in 10 years that improvement is being done to Tomas Morato Avenue.
"This is a welcome development, we fully support Mayor Belmonte on his undertakings," she said.
One of the landowners also confirmed reports that there was a signature and fund raising campaign spearheaded by groups opposed to the project.
They said organizers attempted to collect P2,000 from each business establishment to pay for a newspaper advertisement, where they would make their sentiments known. But since most of the businesses in the area supported the project the fund raising drive did not materialize.