Chinese temple to give way to road widening

The front of the Liatsan Temple, built in 1969, encroaches on Briones Street at the North Reclamation Area. Part of the building will be set back from the road to improve traffic flow. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Temple officials agree to setback in exchange for lower tax

Part of the 46-year-old Liatsan Temple in the north Reclamation Area will be set back to give way to the widening of Briones Street in Cebu City.

“Yes, we agreed to cut off part of the building.  As you can see, it’s the only one encroaching on the street,” said Wilson Ong, president of the Liatsan Association which oversees the Chinese temple.

Officers agreed to the request of the Cebu city government to adjust the structure so that traffic flow would improve.

This would involve voluntarily demolishing part of the building that encroaches the street.

The building was erected with complete permits in 1969 when the street was still called 4th Avenue  so  no violation of the building code  was involved.

Ong said the association  proposed to City Hall to voluntarily  set back from the road on the condition  that their real estate tax obligation is off set to compensate for the cost of demolition and repairing the building’s facade.

RAMA VISIT
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday visited the Chinese temple to  discuss the matter with association members and officers.

A tax offsetting agreement was signed.

Ong said the decision was made after consulting temple members who include prominent families in Cebus like the  LuDo, and Kee Coo families.

g also clarified that the Liatsan Temple didn’t violate any building code since the temple was built with complete permits in 1969.

He said during that time, there was no road widening on the street, which was then called 4th Avenue.

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