CCMC construction hits snag anew

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Building Official has suspended the processing of the building permit for the reconstruction of the Cebu City Medical Center after it was found that the title of the lot where the building is being constructed has yet to be identified.

Engineer Josefa Ylanan, Officer-in-Charge of OBO, said the city has yet to identify the title of the portion of the lot where the building is constructed. Ylanan said the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center was already given a locational clearance, one of the requirements in securing the building permit.

 "In fact, the application is now with OBO. But, the permit, the processes of the permit is being suspended because there is a portion of the lot there nga gipangita pa unsay title ani because this is part of the road kun tan-awon nimo sa atong road details," she said.

The issue will be discussed today with acting mayor Margarita Osmeña, representatives of Department of Engineering and Public Works, OBO, City Planning and Development Office, C.E. Padilla Construction, Inc., and the architects and engineers of the CCMC construction.

Ylanan said there is a possibility that the construction will be temporarily stopped. However, she assured that it is not a negative thing, saying the CCMC building is compliant with the Building Code.

 "We have our geodetic engineer. Part sa government is to look into sa part nga lote. Naay lot number but kailangan descriptions… But sa description, wala gibutang nga it's a road lot. Pero sa detail sa ordinance, there is a Panganiban street existing 10 meters-wide," she said.

Ylanan said there is a pending proposal to widen Panganiban Street by 20 meters.

"So, the 10-meter here is the one part already of the footprint of the building," she said.

She is referring to the lot where the skywalk is located. Ylanan said it is necessary to identify the lot to avoid problems later on as soon as the widening is implemented.

"It's not easy man gud if we will not identify the lot and then we will not continue the construction. It's not easy to fold the structure. Dili mag-usik-usik sa kuwarta. The decision has to be made now," she said.

Ylanan said her office does not want that the city's project will not comply with the rules and regulations.

"Ang akong concern is to make it legal so that they can follow all the regulation of the Building Code. Kay strict ta sa other building but sa atoa wala," she said.

Ylanan assumed office last Friday, replacing former City Engineer Jose Marie Poblete, who was terminated by the acting mayor. She was not, however, new to the position because she was the head of the office before.  (FREEMAN)