The Stria workers asking government: Don’t stop project

CEBU, Philippines — Workers employed by subcontractors on the Stria project have made a heartfelt appeal to local government leaders, urging them not to disrupt their livelihoods with orders to suspend the ongoing construction.

In a joint statement, the workers urged Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro and Sta. Fe town Mayor Ithamar Espinosa not to halt the controversial development project.

This project has become a crucial source of employment in the area, providing jobs to hundreds of workers through subcontractors, the workers said.

For many families, wages from The Stria project construction have been their primary means of survival amid rising living costs.

“Our jobs are the only thing we rely on to put food on the table, send our children to school, and support our families. If this work is halted, our families, who depend on our modest income, will suffer. This is not just a job to us, it is our livelihood, our hope, and our future,” the workers said.

The workers’ plea highlights the human dimension of the controversy, while legal and environmental issues remain unresolved, families depending on the project face the looming threat of unemployment.

The manifesto of support is signed by more than 200 workers coming from the cities of Cebu Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, and Toledo, as well as from the towns of Madridejos, Ronda, Bantayan, Tuburan, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Dumanjug, San Remegio, Catmon, Sogod, Consolacion, San Fernando, and Minglanilla,

Some workers also came from Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Surigao City, Laguna, and Aklan. Most of the workers, however, came from the different barangays of Sta. Fe town, the location of The Stria project.

The workers worked as site engineer, safety officer, electrical engineer, project engineer, project in charge, office staff, manager, draftsman, pipe fitter, welder, electrician, tower crane operator, warehouseman, applicator, laborer, project in charge, foreman, steel man, plumber, carpenter, mason, helper, driver, backhoe spotter, painter, coordinator, housekeeping, and utility.

The Stria is a prominent private development project facing disputes over alleged environmental regulation violations and questions regarding its permits, resulting in a suspension of construction works.

However, The Stria management has formally requested the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) to lift the suspension order and recall any cease-and-desist orders issued against its ongoing project, insisting that the development fully complies with legal and environmental standards.

The project management assured the public that it remains committed to environmental protection, citing that it even installed a sewage treatment facility that exceeds the standard environmental safeguards practiced on the island.

Amid this appeal, however, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro reiterated that the “rule of law” must prevail as reports surfaced that civil works continue at the controversial Stria luxury resort project in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, despite several government-issued stoppage orders.

The governor, in a press conference yesterday, expressed alarm over allegations that the developer, Fifth Avenue Property Development Corp., had resumed construction even after the suspension of its Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

“We were getting reports nga naa gihapon ongoing construction despite our notice that was given to them … even if I ordered the mayor to stop any construction activities,” said the governor.

Baricuatro emphasized that the resort exceeded its permitted design, which originally allowed only a three-story structure but has now reached 11 stories. “Dapat mosunod sila kay ang ilang permits kay only for a three-story building, pero nganong 11 stories na karon,” she added.

The governor’s statement was issued a day after The Stria management appealed to regulators to lift the ECC suspension, claiming full compliance with legal, environmental, and zoning standards.

Baricuatro stressed that while the appeal is pending, several agencies are conducting separate probes, including the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).

The governor said a consolidated report from these agencies will be submitted both to her office and the DENR’s Protected Area Management Board, which oversees the Bantayan Island Wilderness Area.

She said she intends to bring the matter up with Santa Fe Mayor Ithamar Espinosa during her first State of the Provincial Address, where local chief executives across Cebu are invited.

Earlier this month, the governor issued a directive to Espinosa, instructing him to suspend all construction activities at the site, citing violations of environmental regulations and deviations from approved development plans.

The directive required the mayor to submit copies of zoning clearances, Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs), and other permits related to the project within five working days. Baricuatro also requested that the town coordinate with the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) for technical validation.

Espinosa complied by releasing a formal order to Fifth Avenue Property Development Corp. to cease all construction activities. The mayor’s notice cited DENR’s suspension of the ECC and pointed out violations: exceeding the 10-meter height limit in a protected area, and encroaching into the 20-meter coastal easement, required under the Water Code of the Philippines.

The governor warned that continued non-compliance could amount to willful disobedience under the Local Government Code, which may result in administrative charges being imposed by the DILG.

Despite these orders, the developer argued that the project site is classified as alienable and disposable under the Bantayan Island Wilderness Area General Management Plan. They further claimed that height restrictions under DENR Administrative Order 2009-09 are advisory in nature, not mandatory.

The Stria’s management has since filed a formal request to EMB-7 for the immediate lifting of its ECC suspension. They cited backing from Santa Fe’s local government, including Municipal Ordinance No. 14-2023, which allows the construction of the 11-story building, and Resolution No. 83-2022, which endorsed the project to the DENR and other agencies.

Baricuatro emphasized that local ordinances cannot supersede national laws, especially those that protect environmentally critical areas, like Bantayan Island.

She said the provincial government would ensure due process is observed, but stressed that environmental safeguards must remain paramount. — /RAE (FREEMAN)