Kudos to DPWH for reinstating Camia Building

For our special presentation on our Talkshow on Straight from the Sky we are blessed to come up with a postscript on our hosting of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress with the Eternal Word Television Network’s Asia-Pacific Head, Mr. Edwin Lopez who graciously allowed my MyTV crew to do this interview at the EWTN studios that they created within the IEC Pavilion. Actually I met Mr. Lopez five-years ago during one of his trips to Cebu, unfortunately he changed his cellphone number and we lost contact with each other.

It was providential that we finally got together during the IEC, and he gave me full access to EWTN’s studios where he was interviewing most of the speakers and beaming it via satellite direct for viewing in EWTN. This is how technology has moved forward. So when I asked to have an interview with him about his life in EWTN and his comments about the IEC, he willingly agreed.

So watch this interview of our high school days on SkyCable’s channel 61 at 8:00PM tonight with replays on Wednesday and Saturday at the same time slot. We also have replays on MyTV’s channel 30 at 9:00PM tonight with other replays on Wednesday and Friday at 7:00AM and 9:00PM respectively.

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My readers know too well that when the Department of Public Works and Highways commits mistake, I chastise this agency. This is especially when they have road-widening projects that practically last forever and a day. But lo and behold, last week, I noticed that many homes located beside the Mormon Temple along Gorordo Avenue along the opening of the Doña Modesta Gaisano Street going to Beverly Hills have been destroyed with a backhoe owned by the government. This could be a DPWH project. After all, Gorordo Avenue is a National Road.

I can only assume that this is part of a road-widening project that we have been harping for so many years because best part of the road along Gorordo Avenue is right in front of the University of the Philippines Lahug Campus.

But three hundred yards further going to Beverly Hills, the road narrows to a four lanes which is no longer a standard four-lane road. Thanks to illegal structures that were constructed a long time ago right under the noses of the Office of the Building Official.

I just hope that DPWH would also remove the structures across the street especially those stores that already use the Lahug Bridge as part of their edifice. In my book, OBO should never have granted any building permits or business permits between the Lahug Creek Bridge and Gorordo Avenue because it constricts the road. So, kudos to DPWH for this effort! I hope they get everyone’s cooperation.

Meanwhile, still on the DPWH, I also read the news that they ordered the Cebu City Government’s OBO to reinstate the building and fencing permits of the Camia Street Café and Restaurant along Don Jose Avila St. in Barangay Capitol for failing to provide due process. We wrote about this issue already about the property of Mr. Adrian Lee because we know the issue too well.

Mind you, I warned Mayor Michael Rama that he was wrong in having this structure demolished as he was doing a favor for his friend, who owns the property behind the lot of Mr. Lee. I approached Mayor Rama, not only once, but twice that he had got the wrong decision. Worse, they turned this one-way road into a two-way road with parking on both sides of the street so that people would complain that this road had become too narrow and needed to be widened. Upon checking the records, there was no such plan to widen this road, as it was not of any priority.

This is what happened when friends of the Mayor cajole him so violate the law and remove a legally constructed structure so that by widening the street, the lot owner would have a wide access to Don Jose Avila Street and improve its commercial viability. Right now he only has a gate as most of his property is behind the property of Mr. Lee.

As a true friend and supporter of Mayor Rama, he cannot now say that I did not go out of my way to warn him about a possible criminal liability together with OBO’s Engineer Jose Marie Poblete. But Mayor Rama refused to listen. So if he gets in deeper sh_t he can only blame himself for allowing himself to be used by his influencing, peddling friend who does not care if he goes to jail over this fiasco.

But I am still against having Mayor Rama suspended on this issue. He has already been suspended for that stupid lane separator and made a martyr by his political enemies. That he was suspended for this case is totally stupid and uncalled for. And I dare say that the Liberal Party should be made to pay for pushing the suspension of Mayor Rama, which in truth have made many Cebuanos mad at the LP.

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