‘Setback Violations’

The Cebu Almanac 2016. On the cover is the Cebu South Road Properties featuring Filinvest Land Developments, City di Mare and IL Corso.

Tomas holds permits for another SRP development project

Another development in the South Road Properties (SRP) is being put on hold by the Cebu City Government for allegedly violating setback requirements.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has held in abeyance all pending applications for building and occupancy permits for the Il Corso mixed use development, as well as its tenants until its developer, Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI), corrects alleged violations of the National Building Code of the Philippines (NBCP).

“It is observed that the ongoing construction of a concrete canopy and its columns are being constructed on the property line of Filinvest and the road right of way (RROW) and violates the mandatory setback,” Osmeña said in a letter addressed to a certain Antonio Cenon of Il Corso.

He cited section 804 of the NBCP which mandates that for commercial and recreational buildings along newly developed thoroughfares, the required mandatory minimum setback width should be eight meters.

Il Corso is a commercial strip being developed by FLI. It is located in a 10-hectare property they bought at the SRP from the city during the term of former mayor Michael Rama.

It is also part of the master plan for Citta Di Mare, a 40-hectare township project which FLI is undertaking through a joint-venture with the city government.

FLI officials, when sought for comment, said they have yet to review the mayor’s order and allegations.

“I have yet to read the advice of the mayor so I’ll just withhold any comment for now,” said FLI first vice president and Visayas cluster head Allan Alfon.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña (CDN FILE PHOTO)

This was echoed by FLI senior vice president for commercial center and retail management Joy Polloso in a text message to CDN.

Polloso said she is yet to read the mayor’s letter which she said she hopes to get a copy of it by today. She added that maybe FLI can come up with an official statement within the week.

Setback “violations”

According to Engr. Josefa Ylanan, who heads city hall’s Office of the Building Official (OBO), the city’s findings on the alleged violations of Il Corso is based on an earlier survey conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7.

She said though that they will resurvey the property.

“With Il Corso, we still have to have our survey team look into it so that we would know how much really is the needed setback. We haven’t resurveyed it yet but we scheduled it next week,” she said.

In December last year, the DPWH-7 already pointed out the alleged setback violations of FLI with its Il Corso property.

The DPWH forwarded its report to the OBO back then which was headed by former city engineer Jose Marie Poblete.

But the recommendations the report contained was not implemented. The report was also questioned by former mayor Michael Rama who criticized DPWH for only pointing out the violations last year and not when FLI started constructing the project in 2013.

Earlier, Osmeña also sent a similar letter to the management of SM Seaside City Cebu with the same alleged setback violations.

The management of SM Seaside asked for reconsideration saying they will just do the corrections after the peak season which is until February next year. But the mayor, in an interview, turned down the request and said the freeze order will stay and construction will stop.