CH to install office at Citi Center

CEBU, Philippines - A city government office will be placed at the Citi-Center Commercial Complex in Barangay Kamagayan to let the public know that the property is already owned by the city.

Cebu City administrator Jose Mari Poblete yesterday conducted an ocular inspection of the property and said he will be sending notices to the occupants therein to start looking for a place to relocate themselves.

“Ato na sila nga awhagon nga mangita na lang og laing dapit nga ilang kabalhinan kay basin gamiton na sa City Hall ang maong dapit,” Poblete told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

More than 100 families living inside the complex have built shanties as their homes inside the complex. Reports had it that they have been paying rentals for their stay to some persons who claimed to be the caretakers of the property instead of paying it to the city government.

The city government earlier levied the property following its owner’s failure to pay his taxes. The Citi-Center Commercial Complex used to be a private wet market intended for the residents nearby.

Mayor Michael Rama earlier eyes the property as the city’s parking area for all its vehicles.

The city government does not have a covered parking space for its transport facilities that prompted the city officials to allow its drivers to bring the vehicles to their respective homes.

The records show that the title of the P18.5 million-worth property has already been transferred in the name of the City of Cebu after its owners failed to settle their taxes despite a one year redemption period given by the city.

The Citicenter Commercial complex is consist of a parcel of land and two buildings that were auctioned by the city in 2003 for only P4.3 million to satisfy the tax obligation of its owners, but nobody bid for it.   - (THE FREEMAN)