Filinvest to condo buyers: We will comply with safety requirements

CEBU, Philippines - Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) vowed to complete the installation of an Automatic Fire Suppression System for its “One Oasis” Cebu project in Mabolo following complaints aired by some condominium buyers.

In an official statement issued yesterday, FLI it said that the project was built and approved based on the old fire code but is now affected by the new code.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has given building owners a two-year period to install a fire sprinkler system or an Automatic Fire Suppression System (AFSS) to comply with the provisions of the New Comprehensive Fire Code or Republic Act 9514, as per memorandum released by the Department of Interior and Local Government last June 15, 2011.

Tourism prime mover and Latvian consul Bobby Joseph in a press conference said that the developer has failed to install necessary building safety requirement, specifically a water sprinkler in every unit, which is supposedly one of the important requirements before getting a building permit.

Joseph who bought two units that cost close to P5 million said that he and other buyers are also pressuring the developer for the overdue turnover schedule for the units which has been delayed for four months now.

Joseph, who is also the chairman of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAS), said if not addressed immediately, their complaints are going to affect Cebu’s bid in becoming a second home destination.

“Nobody should go against the building code. Developers should adhere to all safety standards required by law,” Joseph said.

In the course of his effort to seek explanation from FLI, Joseph said he was only told that they are still awaiting the occupancy permit from OBO. The delay of the occupancy permit is due to the absence of water sprinklers and censors in every unit.

The first phase of the P1.9-billion One Oasis medium-rise condominium project consist of two five-story and one ten-story buildings out of 10 being planned.

Filinvest will install an automatic fire extinguisher in all of the condo units in the buildings in 60 days.

“The management Filinvest would like to assure the public that it is and has always been company policy to fully comply with all fire safety standards for all of its projects, more particularly One Oasis Cebu projects. Filinvest also ensures that all its projects have passed the approval requirement of the new fire safety code and/or all other relevant government building safety regulations to make its product safe and a wise-investment for all its buyers,” the statement said.     - THE FREEMAN