Rama asserts: Lot near Compania Maritima is owned by government

The iconic Compania Maritima building is seen in this photo taken November 11, 2021. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Acting Mayor Michael Rama said construction works in the compound near Compania Maritima will continue as he said the property is owned by the government.

This is notwithstanding the current case in the Regional Trial Court Branch 6 in Cebu City docketed as the Republic of the Philippines represented by the Cebu Port Authority vs the City of Cebu, et al, Case No. CEB–41917 for Injunctions with Quieting Title.

Rama said that the property is owned by the government and is under the jurisdiction of the Cebu City government, which means that the city can do what it wants of the area.

In this case, the city wants to turn the compound into the Puso Village as part of the new Carbon Market compound to be developed by Megawide Construction Corp.

“We have to assert that it is ours. The CPA cannot be asserting as if it is theirs, it is the government’s, it is the people’s property,” said Rama.

With this, the acting mayor said any construction activities or earth moving activities in the area are considered legal because the City Government has consented to it.

In a letter to the City Council dated November 3, 2021, CPA General Manager Leonilo Mole appealed to the city government to respect the ongoing litigation of the property being disputed. 

A stand-off occurred two weeks ago between the port police and city personnel with regards to the claiming of the property. The CPA was shoed off the said property.

The conflicts for the Carbon Market modernization continue on as Megawide begins more construction works on the development of the Carbon compound.

Rama has already met with Megawide for the planned supplemental Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that the city government will pursue to cure the deficiencies of the original Joint Venture Agreement (JVA).

The acting mayor said he expects a counter-proposal soon and this will be reviewed by the Joint Venture Selection Committee before it reaches his table for final approval.

For now, Rama’s instruction is to continue the phasing of the project even if the supplemental MOA is still being drafted.

This means that the relocation of the Warwick Barracks vendors will continue.

He clarified to the vendors that the action taken is their relocation to the interim market and not necessarily a demolition. They will be given new stalls as the Warwick Barracks will be under construction.

The acting mayor said the project must continue on as they fix whatever is needed to be fixed in the original JVA.      /rcg

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