Labella may waive fees for DPWH projects

CEBU, Philippines — The legal office of the Cebu City government said that Mayor Edgardo Labella may waive the zoning and locational clearance fees for government projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

This after DPWH District Engineer Florida Nuñez wrote a letter to the City Council on November 13 requesting the city to waive the fees, which are supposed to be requirements in applying for building permits for government projects.

The city’s legal officer, Rey Gealon, said it is his office’s opinion that the mayor can waive the fees and that there is no legal prohibition to this effect. 

“What is important, though, is that government projects will be implemented with dispatch for optimum public utilization,” Gealon said.

In his letter, Nuñez said that upon applying for a building permit, the contractor was required to pay one percent of the total contract cost for the construction of a four-story school building with eight classrooms in Talamban Elementary School and Talamban High School.

Nuñez said the allocated amount for government owned projects do not include the allocation for local taxes such as the locational clearance or zoning fee.

When allocating funds for DPWH’s projects, the national government does not include the additional charges and these charges on the Local Government Unit (LGU) would affect the physical target of their projects greatly.

Nuñez added that DPWH is not only required to pay additional charges imposed on zoning permits, but also hauling permits, working permits, and excavation permits when it comes to other projects such as roads, bridges and flood control projects.

In accordance to Presidential Decree (PD) 1096, the Building Code of the Philippines, fees and charges are collected in order to obtain a building permit from the Office of the Building Official.

The Code states that it requires every person, firm, or corporation including any agency or instrumentality of the government to obtain a building permit for any construction, alteration or repair of any building or structure. JMO (FREEMAN)