CPA agrees to remove fence around Compania Maritima

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Ports Authority has agreed to temporarily remove the fence around the old Compania Maritima building.

But Cebu City Attorney Gerone Castillo asked CPA to make it permanent.

 “But this would be beneficial if the interlink fence will be open permanently... it would be beneficial for the city itself, for the public use of the park (Magellan’s Park),” he said.

The CPA is yet to comment on the appeal of the city.

Once the interlink fence in front of the Magellan’s Park is removed, CPA general manager Edmund Tan asked that vendors should not be allowed to occupy the area.

“The authority would like to have the assurance of the mayor that there would be no interlopers allowed inside the property who might take advantage of the opening up of the CPA property…” the letter addressed to the mayor read.

 Castillo assured that interlopers will not be allowed within the port premises.

“As to the conditions set, with all due respect to manager Tan, there is no more need for the assurance because interlopers are not really allowed in public places such as the Magellan’s Park,” he said.

Mayor Michael Rama and Tan met before Sinulog agreeing to set aside conflict owing to the Sinulog revelry. As discussed, the officials concurred to remove temporarily the fence and allow vehicular traffic along Quezon Boulevard near the Compania Maritima building to unclog traffic.

The CPA fenced the area because they are planning to sell the properties near the Compania Maritima to prospective buyers who intend to develop the place for commercial purposes.

 Rama earlier said the walls and fen-ces were illegally installed by the port officials because of the absence of a permit from the Office of the Building Officials, but CPA Chief Legal Officer Yusop Uckong claimed that there is no need for them to secure a permit for any construction within the port zone.

 Former OBO chief and now City Planning and Development Officer head Kenneth Carmelita Enriquez said it is clearly provided in Section 301 of the National Building Code of the Philippines that even government agencies, government instrumentalities or government-owned-and-controlled-corporations shall not be exempted from securing of construction permit for any infrastructure and fencing projects.  (FREEMAN)