Mediation proposed to resolve conflict over Apas road

CEBU, Philippines - Board Member Grecilda Sanchez is proposing for mediation to resolve the conflict between Filinvest Land Inc. and Cebu Pro-perty Ventures Development Corporation over W. Geonzon Street at the Cebu I.T. Park.

 Sanchez, head of the Provincial Board’s committee on municipal and provincial pro-perties, said she believes that mediation is the way to go in this case following a meeting attended by Capitol officials, FLI and CPVDC last week.

 “It is guided not by what one believes is his legal right but how the parties can preserve goodwill and relationship as the paramount consideration,” Sanchez said.

 No resolution has been reached just yet but a win-win solution needs to be arrived at, Sanchez said.

  Governor Hilario Davide III said both CPVDC and FLI were able to raise their respective concerns regarding access to Geonzon Street.

 FLI has requested access through Geonzon Street towards its construction project adjacent to the I.T. Park but CPVDC has declined and built a fence right beside the street to delineate the boundary properly.

 Sanchez earlier sponsored a resolution requesting Cebu City to defer from acting on the issue. The resolution was in response to the pronouncement of Mayor Michael Rama that he intends to demolish the perimeter wall of W. Geonzon Street by force.

 Sanchez said it is critical that no drastic action is done at this point in time especially that a possible peaceful, mutually-beneficial resolution is in the offing. She assured that concerns of the city government are also being taken into account.

Sanchez said the Capitol believes that demolishing the perimeter wall on W. Geonzon Street by force would be gravely inimical to the interest of the provincial government in its project with FLI and CPVDC and ultimately, to the interest of the Cebuanos, including the thousands of workers, employees and businessmen who invested at the I.T. Park.

 In 2012, the province entered into a build-operate-transfer (BOT) agreement with FLI to construct a P1.76 billion BPO complex in the 12,290-square meter Capitol pro-perty beside the Cebu I.T. Park.

 Section 2.06(iii) of the BTO agreement states that the province undertake to give FLI access and passage through W. Geonzon Street.  Last August 20, the Cebu City Council passed and approved a resolution declaring W. Geonzon Street a “public road.” (FREEMAN)