In this file photo taken last year in June 2016, members of the media wait for the arrival of Cebu City building inspectors who were about to check on the city-owned dormitory housing city scholars from Cebu City’s mountain barangays. After that inspection, it was found that the building was severely damaged and was no longer fit for occupancy.
CDN FILE PHOTO
A year after it was declared unfit for occupancy by City Hall building inspectors, a five-storey condominium owned by the Cebu City government has finally been closed down with all its occupants ordered to vacate.
Starting last June 15, the Hilly Land Dormitory along N. Bacalso Avenue, which had housed city scholars from mountain barangays, was declared empty as student-occupants were advised to leave the facility and find other dormitories for their own safety.
Only one security guard remained to keep watch on the building, which used to be occupied by 417 students.
The facility had long fallen into disrepair.
June last year, inspectors from the Office of the Building Official (OBO) found that its ceiling was severely damaged and the pipes leaked. The cisterns were also no longer functioning.
But it was a recommendation from the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 that finally prompted the facility’s immediate closure.
MGB found a sinkhole in the dormitory’s hallway. A sinkhole is a cavity in the ground caused by water erosion providing a route for surface water to disappear underground.
In a press conference on Monday, Mayor Tomas Osmeña threatened to file charges of criminal negligence against the building’s contractor, Allan Dino — brother of Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino.
“That condominium was his (Allan Dino) anomaly. He was behind it. They failed to follow proper procedures. Like boring (the land) to see whether the foundation is strong,” Osmeña said.
When asked when he would file the case, Osmeña said that he was not in a hurry.
In a statement, Michael challenged Osmeña to make good on his threats to file a case against his brother.
“Let him file a case. Its (sic) his right to do so. As always he likes to play engineer, even wants to play cop,” he said in a text message to CDN.
“The 20 year old building has withstand (sic) major earthquakes and super typhoons and it is still standing until now. The project has undergone bidding. … These allegations are nothing but empty ramblings of a bully,” Michael added.
The mayor said the building was unlivable and severely damaged.
Its walls had several cracks and the building itself was already leaning.
“We have to demolish the whole building. We have to vacate it and set aside funds to give an allowance to the students,” Osmeña said.
The students will be given P1,000 rental subsidy for six months, the mayor added.
As of the moment, the students are renting other boarding houses in the city and are paying using their own money while the city is still processing the assistance.
Kevin Crister Paz, administrator of the condominium, said they already cordoned the building and installed safety signs to warn the people from entering the building.
“It should be closed. Our city engineering found it really not safe,” Paz said.