TF Gubat sa Baha issues notices to downtown malls, establishments obstructing 3-meter easement of Estero de Parian

Task Force Gubat sa Baha Chairman Roy Cimatu gives the go signal for the serving of 10-day notices to 51 establishments that violate the easement law. | Cebu City PIO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Notices of Illegal Construction have been issued to four business establishments in downtown Cebu City for obstructing the Estero de Parian’s three-meter easement.

Raquel Arce, Cebu City Task Force Gubat sa Baha River Commander for Estero de Patrian, delivered the final notices to these businesses on Monday, November 28, 2022.

Arce said this is just the first four of the 50 structures they identified to have been violating the three-meter easement rule of the Estero de Parian.

READ: Cebu City gov’t set to issue demolition notices to 3 malls, 47 other establishments on Nov. 28

“We have identified 50 structures or establishments, pero ang sa pagkakaron, ang gi-priority para lang g’yod makita nga aduna tay gisugdan, ang atong gitan-aw is ang upat ka establishment nga nitabon g’yod sa kanal,” she said.

Arce identified these establishments as the Colonnade Supermarket, 138 Mall, Harbour City Dimsum, and the Gaisano Main Mall.

Arce said the city is willing to extend assistance for the clearing operations.

She said these establishments should voluntarily dismantle a portion of their establishments obstructing the river within 10 days, or else, the city’s task force will come in and conduct the clearing operations.

“Gisugdan nato karon, ni-serve ta sa final notice kay nihatag naman ta nila og first notice katong nagpatawag ta nila og meeting sa mga stakeholders. Kani, for Estero de Parian, this is the second and the final notice para mo boluntaryo sila,” she said.

“This is a No build Zone pero inyong gitabunan. So, you think na lang the positive side nga pila ka tuig mo nigamit sa maong lugar…now, is the time nga kuhaon o re-claim na og balik sa gobyerno aron mahatagan og lugar diin sayon nato malimpyohan ang atong mga kasapaan. So, hinaot unta na mo-kooperar mo,” she added.

Rama, earlier, said that even businesses that violate the three-meter easement rule would not be exempt from the continuing clearing of the city’s waterways.

He emphasized that the city government will not succeed in its efforts to clear the waterways of all kinds of obstruction if big structures are not removed.

This ongoing effort of the city is one of the city government’s thrusts to improve the city’s perennial problem of flooding.

The city’s Task Force Gubat sa Baha has already started tagging and profiling the owners of the structures located within the three-meter easement in the city’s seven major rivers.

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