The Cebu City Planning Office will serve today a notice of violation to the contractor of the Social Security System building for violating the city’s Revised Zoning Ordinance.
City Planning Officer Nigel Paul Villarete said the contractor, H.S. Oaminal Construction, failed to avail of a locational clearance and subsequently a building permit.
“Wala silang building permit, walang locational clearance… nag- excavation sad…I will only issue a notice of violation. It is to let you know that you are violating something wherein you are doing work without permit.” Villarete said.
“Once you start working a place or a building without a building permit, you are committing a violation,” he added.
Villarete, however, clarified that the contractor has 15 days to comply with the OBO requirements, otherwise, a Cease and Desist Order will be in place.
“Matrangkahan na siya. We are trying to help because that is another government agency and we do not want to cause delay but there are procedures that are to be followed and we should not be biased towards government agencies when all the others are trying to comply, and others have been actually stopped,” Villarete said.
The three-building construction is ongoing at the vacant lot along Osmeña Boulevard where SSS used to stand. The agency’s old building was demolished for being unsafe for public use.
The contractor aims to complete the ongoing construction next year. Villarete explained that notice of violation is being issued to inform the violator that a law has been violated. It is only when the violator fails to meet the requirements when a Cease and Desist Order is issued to stop the ongoing activity.
“That is the first thing that we do—notice of violation. Of course, at the bottom of that notice is a directive to stop working. Others may find it as a cease and desist…but I don’t call it a cease and desist, just a notice of violation,” he clarified. — Jasmin R. Uy and Cressida Paula G. Delmo/JMO