Covered court talk splits Council

CEBU, Philippines - Management of a covered court that the former Cebu City mayor Tomas Osmeña delegated to a homeowners association in Barangay Punta Princesa has divided the City Council that it deferred for two weeks approval of a measure keeping the same setup.

Last Wednesday’s final deliberation on a proposed ordinance of City Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Eugenio Gabuya, Jr.  allowing the Punta Princesa Manggahan Homeowner’s Association, Inc. (PPMHOAI) to manage the covered court in Sitio Manggahan became heated members decided to have a three-minute break.

When session resumed, the council decided to deferred further tackling the proposed ordinance, with members agreeing to look at it again in their Oct. 9 regular session.

 The proposed measure is “allowing the use of Sitio Manggahan covered court within the territorial jurisdiction of the Punta Princesa, City of Cebu for sports and recreational activities and other activities thereof, providing for its management and for other purposes”.

 Section four of the draft ordinance states that management shall be given to the Punta Princesa Manggahan Homeowner’s Association, Inc. (PPMHOAI).

 But, City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos opposed the idea of giving the management, supervision and control of the said covered court to PPMHOAI.

 â€œThe homeowners should not manage in behalf of the barangay or the City Government, this being stipulated in Section 391 of the Local Government Code,” she said.

 She cited said portion of the Code provides that the “Sangguniang Barangay shall regulate the use of multi-purpose hall, multi-purpose pavements, grain or copra dryers, patios and other post-harvest facilities; barangay waterworks, parking areas or other similar facilities constructed with government funds within the jurisdiction of the barangay”.

If this would be the case, control of the covered court should have been handed to Punta Princesa Barangay Captain Jose Navarro, a vocal critic of former mayor and former south district congressman Osmeña.

The homeowners had argued that the covered court was built using Osmeña’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

If the ordinance is approved, association president Alejandro Tabelino would be appointed as caretaker or administrator of the basketball court.

Osmeña had named Tabelino as caretaker since the P2-million financial assistance used for the purchase of lot where the covered court now stands came from his PDAF.

Carillo and Gabuya’s proposed ordinance had already been endorsed by the Council Committee on laws, ordinances, public accountability and good government.

“We have several homeowners who managed covered courts. These covered courts were purchased and sponsored by the City government, like those in Punta Princesa, Duljo Fatima and among others,” Carillo said, in defending his proposal.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, Council presiding officer, reminded the body that they should be careful and mindful in assigning the management of the covered court to a non-governmental organization to avoid bogus acts and projects.

 Rama earlier issued an executive order directing the homeowners to voluntarily give up the management of the covered court.

That prompted PPMHOAI to petition the Office of the Ombudsman to prevent the City from claiming control of the covered court.—(FREEMAN)