Encroachment into territory?: Brgy Sto. Niño hits brgy Ermita signage

The Sto. Niño barangay council recently filed at the city council a complaint against the barangay Ermita government for putting up signage that allegedly encroached into the former's territorial jurisdiction already.

The complaint stated that barangay Ermita put up the signage with the message "Welcome to Barangay Ermita" and set on galvanized pipe stand and concrete base.

One signage is set near a bank at the corner or Magallanes and F. Gonzales Streets while another is at the corner of M.C. Briones and F. Gonzales Streets-sites that the Sto. Niño council insisted a part of the barangay's territory and not to Ermita.

Wilfredo Po, barangay captain of Sto. Niño, said the putting up of the signage raised a precedent that might be used as basis in the ongoing dispute of boundary between his barangay and Ermita.

"May we refresh the memories of the honorable officials of barangay Ermita to please take hold of a Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution," said Po in his letter, as he wanted the signage removed to prevent a deterioration of the conflict between the two barangays.

The Cebu City Zoning Board has endorsed earlier a memorandum report from a committee that studied the boundary dispute between Ermita and Sto. Niño.

It stated that the boundary line between the two barangays starts from the intersection of P. Lopez and Magallanes Streets, then to the intersection on Plaridel Street, to the intersection on M.C. Briones Street, to the intersection on F. Gonzales Street, and up to the intersection on Quezon Boulevard.

"It is very clear that the places where barangay Ermita constructed their welcome signages are deep within the area belonging to barangay Sto. Niño," Po argued citing the committee report.

Earlier than this matter, barangay Sto. Niño also objected to the barangay ordinance of Ermita establishing parking areas and regulating the parking of motor vehicles over a certain period.

Under such ordinance, parking will be allowed on areas within a designated period. These are Quezon Boulevard and M. F. Escaño Street (from 4am to 10am), F. Gonzales Street (Ermita side), Kawit, Noli Me Tangere, and El Filibusterismo Streets (from 4am to 10pm), and Plaridel, Manalili, Progreso, and MC Briones Streets (from 4am to 7am then 7pm to 10pm).

Barangay Sto.Niño wrote the city council interposing its objections against this parking ordinance, and insisted that one street included in the ordinance belongs to its territory.

The city council however disapproved the Ermita parking ordinance based on the recommendation of the City Traffic Operations and Management, which stated that the barangay already acted outside its prescribed powers. - Garry B. Lao/RAE