Firm hopes to work on Ciudad within weeks

By Elly T. Bolonos and Oscar C. Pineda

Monday, July 11, 2011e Sections

It only lacks a loca-tional clearance from the Cebu City Planning and Development Office and an excavation permit from the Office of Building Official (OBO).FIFTH Avenue Development Corp. hopes to start the groundwork for the P1.2-billion Ciudad project this month, amid expectations some City Hall officials will still resist it.

Fifth Avenue, through a presentation yesterday by PR practitioner Jonji Gonzales, said it will do its share to prevent traffic from building up in the Banilad area.

Traffic prevention was the Cebu City Government’s reason for freezing new developments in the Banilad-Talamban area in 2007. This stalled work on Ciudad, a joint venture between Fifth Avenue and the Cebu Provincial Government.

The project occupies 2.8 hectares owned by the Province along Gov. Cuenco Ave., Banilad.

If work can start this month, Ciudad may be ready by Christmas, a developer’s representative recently told Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

“Beyond cultural and entertainment benefits are the economic gains for the Cebuanos,” Fifth Avenue said in its presentation.

It estimated the development to create 2,800 jobs and generate P300 million a year in income.

It would cost City Hall P280 million to widen Gov. Cuenco Ave. and Salinas Drive, but the developer will do that for free, the presentation also said.

Meanwhile, the OBO reminded all developers in the city, including Fifth Avenue, to secure its permits before doing any groundwork.

Acting Building Official Josefa Ylanan confirmed a developer should first secure the locational clearance from the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO).

City Planning Officer Alipio Bacalso said a developer of a mixed-use commercial complex should also comply with other requirements. These include a barangay clearance, vicinity map, proof of rights over the property or an authority from the lot owner to use the property and site development plan.

Bacalso added they might also ask for an environmental impact assessment from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

He said if all the requirements are complied with and no other hitches come up, it will only take one week for the CPDO to evaluate the application.

Ylanan, in a separate interview, said it only takes one month for them to issue the building permit if all the requirements are met.

Mayor Michael Rama has no objections if Fifth Avenue will apply for all the permits it needs from City Hall.

“Dili man mahimo nga mag-una ang estorya unya atong diritsuhon pagsulti nga dili pwede. I think they know what they are doing ug ato unyang tan-awon (and we will see) how it will be received because we cannot preempt this,” Rama said.

The mayor said that all property owners in the city should be treated equally, fairly and reasonably.

Rama earlier said the Ciudad project will be included in their discussion during the zoning board meeting this week.

Rama was the vice mayor and presiding officer of the City Council when the moratorium was implemented about four years ago, but cannot recall if he was part of the discussion on the Banilad-Talamban moratorium.

“Check the records, maybe I was on official leave that time,” Rama said.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña, (Cebu City, south district) said in a text message that he didn’t single out the Ciudad project in opposing its development.

Osmeña and Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young earlier warned Capitol officials and the Ciudad developer not to pursue the project. They promised to take steps so that the Provincial Government won’t be able to open the Ciudad project, once it is finished.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 11, 2011.