Old Tesda wall demolished for sidewalk

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama talks with City Engr. Jose Marie Poblete after leading the demolition of the old concrete wall (left) of Tesda at Salinas drive, Lahug. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The concrete wall fence  of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) 7 office along Salinas Drive was demolished yesterday, giving more room for pedestrians to walk through.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama led the ceremonial breaking of the wall with the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), the Movement for Livable Cebu and the Kahayag sa Sugbo among others.

“Although this (demolition) is long overdue, as the saying goes, it’s better late than never,”  he said.

The removal of the roadside wall will provide space for a wider sidewalk from the flyover of Archbishop Reyes Ave. to Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.

Before the old wall was demolished, a new wall was built and completed by a DPWH contractor for TESDA.

The new wall was already set back far enough for a new  sidewalk to be built by DPWH.

Too high

Rama said roadside trees won’t be removed for this.

“We will be requesting people to adjust with the trees,” he said.

Rama also ordered the height of iron railings  reduced by half.

Chokepoint

Kahayag sa Sugbo, the group tasked by the mayor to restore sidewalks along  Gorordo Ave., identified 15 structures between the Mormon church in  Lahug to JY Square that have encroached on the sidewalks.

“That restoration of sidewalks will be a priority no matter what because that is a  chokepoint there,” Rama said.

Kahayag head Eli Espina said the affected families asked the Land Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to validate the survey previously conducted by the DEPW.

Espina said the survey is already finished and it confirmed the initial result of the city’s survey that portions of the houses of the 15 families have encroached on the sidewalk.