PB authorizes Davide to sign pact to end wall dispute

The Cebu Provincial Board has authorized Gov. Hilario Davide III  to enter into an agreement with the Cebu Properties Venture and Development Corp. (CPVDC) and the Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) in order to settle the dispute over the use of Geonzon St. in barangay Apas.

“If the MOA is signed, the parties can inform the court about this and the court can lift the injunction, hopefully, once the court sees that both parties have agreed on something that is mutually beneficial,” Davide said.

The CPVDC and AsiaTown IT Park Association Inc. filed a civil case for injunction before the court to stop FLI from demolishing the fence which separates their property from the FLI Cebu Cyberzone Project.

Capitol earlier entered into a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement with FLI for the use of its 12, 290-square meter lot which was formerly occupied by the Cebu City Jail.

“To ensure the uninterrupted and continuous flow of foot and vehicular traffic in the areas, CPVDC has agreed to provide the Province a perpetual pedestrian access and limited vehicular access for ingress and egress to and from the Property as well as to and from the Cebu IT park along W. Geonzon Road and grant road right of way through all the roads inside the Cebu IT Park, subject to conditions that will be imposed by CPDVC,” the draft MOA stated.

In return, Capitol will provide CPVDC “additional access points to and from the Cebu IT Park by granting CPVDC a perpetual road right of way through certain points in Salinas Drive and Governor Cuenco Avenue subject to terms and conditions.”

PB Member Peter John Calderon who authored the resolution said copies of the draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) will be available on or before Jan. 19.

But he said that the dispute can now be considered resolved as there is already a “sort of agreement in principle’ with FLI and CPVDC.

Davide said that one of the conditions that CPVDC is asking is the construction of three new road openings that would give them access to Gov. Cuenco Avenue and decongest the traffic flow within their area.

Calderon said the proposed roads will have two lanes each and will be designated for pedestrian and vehicle use.

The PB held a special session yesterday to discuss three concerns — the FLI and CPVDC agreement, the taking out of a P200 million bank loan to purchase heavy equipment and Capitol’s request for financial assistance from the Office of the President.