City planning and development office cautioned vis-à-vis granting of permits

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City council committee on laws wants the city planning and development office to ensure everything is in order before granting a permit to a fuel station company and other business establishments along the Cebu South Coastal Road. 

A resolution authored by Councilor Edward S. Alesna grants Chevron and other commercial business establishments each a permit to operate. 

Last Sept. 28, 2010, the city council adopted Resolution No. 2010-81 which requests the city mayor to withhold approving of permits to fuel service stations which are close to one another, in view of Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-08. 

Quoting Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-08, under letter B of Section 3, Cabigas said “No fuel service station shall be constructed, located and operated with a radius of one (1) kilometer from any existing fuel service station except those already in existence and operating at the time this ordinance was passed.

But in a two-page committee report, council committee chairman Richard Francis Aznar said no such amendment was made by the city council in relation to Provincial Ordinance No. 2003-08. 

“Although the Sangguniang Panlalawigan had amended Ordinance No. 2003-08, no such amendment was made by the Sangguniang Panlungsod,” Aznar said. 

Aznar, however, acknowledged that fuel service stations are rapidly escalating in Talisay and to date there are almost 20 gas stations that exist contiguous to one another. 

A fuel service station may not also be established and operated with a radius of thirty (30) meters from any existing church, hospitals, schools and markets.”

“The committee recommends that the resolution should be referred to the city planning to ensure that the project is within the metes and bounds of the City’s Comprehensive Land Use and Zoning Ordinance,” Aznar said.  (FREEMAN)