Mandaue Council: Unfinished condo can’t be used as MRF

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City Council has denied the request of Looc Barangay Council to grant them the authority to develop the ground floor of the unfinished condominium building project into a material recovery facility (MRF).

Councilor Carmelino Del Mar, who is also the committee chair on city assets and properties, said in his recommendation that the medium-rise condominium project for the urban poor in Looc cannot be converted or cannot be used for other purposes.

"It is our opinion that any intervention of this project, particularly the proposed construction of a MRF project in the area is not allowable," Del Mar said.

Del Mar said there is an existing memorandum of agreement between the city government, the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Poverty Alleviation Fund III on the said project which is aimed to provide a resettlement area for informal settlers living along the creeks, esteros and waterways at the Paradise Island.

The P100-million project covers the construction of medium-rise condominium buildings and other facilities on the city-owned property in Looc.

In September 2006, the NHA released the P15-million fund to the city for the project but one month after, the project encountered four suspension orders and resumption orders.

In July 2007, the work was totally suspended with an accomplishment of 31.44 percent undertaken by the contractor.

Then mayor Jonas Cortes suspended the project and ordered a review of documents while reassessing the works to be done.

The review showed that the project would cost the city government more than the original estimate. (FREEMAN)