Gwen orders removal of walkway as structure destroys view of Capitol building

This walkway needs to go as Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia says it destroys the view of the Capitol building, a heritage site. CDND PHOTO / Rosalie Abatayo

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The newly-installed walkway at the Cebu Provincial Capitol will have to go.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said the presence of the walkway destroys the view of the Capitol Building, a heritage site.

Since the Capitol complex is a heritage site, Garcia said the previous administration should have obtained permission from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) before the walkway was constructed.

Garcia said that the government should adhere to the heritage law that mandates all modification and development of a heritage site should first secure a permit from the NHCP.

Technically, the entire walkway project is still not done although the first two walkways located at the East Gate of the Capitol was just completed two weeks ago.

On Wednesday morning, July 3, personnel from the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) have started to remove the first walkway shed which is installed at the Capitol’s east gate leading to the governor’s driveway.

“The governor instructed to remove the walkway sheds because it is really a mismatch. It is not that necessary to put up the walking sheds there,” PGSO Assistant Head Bernard Calderon said in Cebuano.

In putting up the walkway, the previous PGSO spent at least P550,000 for the materials which include cement, metals and polycarbonate sheets.

Calderon said the current PGSO will keep the unused materials. 

In March 2019, Third District Board Member Victoria Corominas Toribio filed a resolution calling for the provincial government to put up the walkway to provide shade to Capitol clients who walk within the government complex.

This was to provide comfort to clients, who were experiencing the intense heat because of the El Niño weather phenomenon. / celr