Ahong sees politics in non-approval of expressway proposal
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan believes that the non-approval of his proposed Lapu-Lapu Expressway (LLEX) by the city council was politically motivated.
“Mao na’y dili nako masabtan, tungod lang sa politika, babagan nila ang maong proyekto,” Chan said.
During the regular session on Thursday afternoon, councilor Michael Dignos, who chairs the committee on infrastructure, has referred back to the mayor’s office the said proposal.
Dignos said that there are some clarifications that he wants the proponent and the mayor to answer first, before approving the project.
This includes why the city would only get one percent share from the gross revenue for the toll operations annually; will it be beneficial to the city if the corporation or joint consortium would be exempted from paying the business and real estate tax, and what would happen to the residents and establishments along the aviation road if it would be a part of the expressway.
The councilor also stressed that the affected barangays were not consulted on the project.
The expressway, based on the proposal, will pass through Barangay Babag, Cebu Light Industrial Park in Barangay Basak, Aviation Road, Carmelite Foundation School, Barangay Ibo, and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) access road.
Chan, however, clarified that it is the duty of the city council to conduct consultations and public hearings on a certain project.
“Sila mismo ila nang trabaho nga mag-public hearing ta. Ila nang gipirmahan. Public hearing, meaning ila nang trabaho pagpahibawo sa mga hingtungdan,” he added.
Chan also criticizes Dignos for not attending the public hearing on Monday, December 6, 2021.
The mayor said that if only the councilor has attended the public hearing, his concerns would have already been answered by the proponents of the project.
LLEX proponents were Premium Megastructures, Inc. (PMI), Ulticon Builders, Inc., and MTD Philippines, Inc.
“Karon, si Atty. Dignos, si Atty. Epoy Paquibot nga on-leave, mao na’y nipirma niini (sa report), nga wala sila didto sa public hearing. Ang aduna unta’y authority mopirma ini si Atty. Rico (Amores),” he said.
The corporation or joint consortium will manage the LLEX for 50 years before it will be turned over to the city government.
The proposed P24.81 billion skyway project will be constructed under a private-public partnership (PPP) arrangement. /rcg
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Lapu Council tosses expressway proposal back to Ahong pending clarifications
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