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CEBU, Philippines - Residents of Sanson Road in barangay Lahug, Cebu City oppose the construction of a 15-storey condominium in their area, which they are insisting as an R-2 zone or a Medium/High Intensity Residential Area.
Yesterday, they asked the Zoning Board of Cebu City to deny the application for variance of a certain Arabelle J. Reyes of Winbelle Holdings Inc.
The residents are not in favor of the construction because of what they see as a problem on noise pollution, health risks, traffic, the structural integrity of the building and the allocation of resources, among others. Lawyer Cara Muaña, who represents the residents and also a resident herself, said that the construction of the 15-storey building is a threat to their peaceful living because their area could just not accommodate the development in many aspects.
Muaña said they learned that the construction will be done 24 hours a day, which means they could not enjoy a sound sleep during the night because they have to suffer from the incessant noise.
She added that the area is already congested, which they believe would surely be aggravated when thecondominium finally operates.
More structures and occupants in the area will also worsen the drainage problem.
“The area is already prone to flooding. A giant 15-story building will most probably worsen the problem,” Muaña said.
The main road is only seven meters wide while the alleys are five meters wide.
Residents said that the traffic is already a problem which is being worsened by the ‘habal-habals’ or motorcycles for hire.
During emergency such as fire, they said, their area would be less accessible to fire trucks and other emergency vehicles due to the congestion.
“The problem of allocation of resources is a serious one. The water supply in the area is already very erratic as it is. Having a 15-story building with numerous rooms will strain the already meager water supply,” Muaña said.
On the health issues, they fear that the dust and debris can cause them bronchitis, asthma, rhinitis and other pulmonary diseases.
The zoning board has yet to determine the real classification of the area, whether it is commercial zone or residential.
The developer was able to obtain clearance from the barangay signed by then Lahug Captain Mary Ann de los Santos. But de Los Santos said that what she permitted was for the construction of a five-story building. Representatives of the developer said they applied for a 15-story building and not a five-story building from the start. There was probably a miscommunication, they said.
The residents said they are pretty sure that the area is residential because a certain Chua applied before for a condominium and was only granted a permit to build a five-story building because more than five stories is already classified as commercial.
The confusion on the real classification of the area started when the City Planning and Development Office issued a certificate to the developer that the area is a commercial zone. (FREEMAN)
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