Chinese temple encroaches road; demolition underway

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants to demolish a portion of a Chinese temple at the North Reclamation Area because of the city government’s ongoing sidewalk restoration project.

 Rama said a portion of the temple has encroached Jose L. Briones Street where a sidewalk restoration project is happening.

“This is still in line with recovering our sidewalk and bringing what really is the width (of the road),” Rama said.

The mayor inspected the project yesterday and found out that most of the establishment owners encroaching the sidewalk have already volunteered to cooperate with the city government.

Rama has instructed city attorney Jerone Castillo to make representation with the owner of the temple to clear the sidewalk. 

“We are asking also for their understanding, for as soon as that building will give way to the width of the road, then we’ll have a very wide road and this will complete this particular project that I have initiated during my first term,” Rama said.

Castillo said the city government has already consulted structural engineers to find out if the structural integrity of the building will not be compromised if a portion of it will be removed.

“Dili pod namo dali-dalion og kuha kay basin simbako matumba unya ba. So we have to take structural analysis of the building before we make some corrections,” Castillo said.

He said that they have been meeting several times and so far, there were no resistance from the Chinese temple building owner, saying that they were very helpful.

“Temple na of Chinese people, place of worship na nila maong dili pod nato pwedeng dali-dalion. Unya nata mo-implement kon okay na tanan,” Castillo said.

The city government is calling the private sectors to help in restoring the sidewalks which is one of the major projects implemented by the administration.

“As much as possible, mas maayong voluntary. We don’t want to go to court just to remove it. We really want to give a functional sidewalk sa mga tao,” Castillo said.— (FREEMAN)