Libis homeowners oppose Opus Dei school

Education will have to take a backseat to traffic convenience, if homeowners of Libis, Quezon city, successfully put a stop to the approved resolution of the local government for the construction of an exclusive school in the area.

Thousands of residents from subdivisions in Libis strongly oppose the construction of a private Paref-Northfield school for boys on a three-hectare lot along Green Meadows Avenue, citing traffic and ecological reasons.

According to Peter Bautista, chairman of the Coalition of Homeowners’ Associations(COHA), residents of at least 16 upscale subdivisions are alarmed over the school’s construction because it might cause major traffic problems in the area.

"Congestion is one thing we cannot tolerate. The lot is "open space" so it should not be used for commercial use. Besides, those running the school did not even bother to consult with us," Bautista said in a telephone interview.

The Paref-Northfield school, which is run by Opus Dei members who recently negotiated with the local government for its construction on the lot donated by Ortigas and Company to city hall.

The residents, who come from Green Meadows, White Plains, Acropolis, Corinthian Gardens, St. Ignatius, Ivory Court, Valle Verde, now want the Quezon City Council to "recall the Special Resolution passed on March 20, 20001 which approved the memorandum of agreement between Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr., and the school owners."

"Even incoming Mayor Feliciano Belmonte is already aware of this matter, and we certainly hope he can hear our pleas. Because if anything else fails, we have no other choice but to go to court," Bautista told The STAR.

Opus Dei members behind the construction of the school could not be reached for comment.

Bautista added that if ever the school is constructed, serious traffic problems would be the main concern of residents in the area. "We are not really against the PAREF-Northfield School per se. But everyone knows that traffic congestion is one of the bigger hassles of modern life. And by opposing this project, we are avoiding a situation that may give rise to problems in the future," he stressed.

Mario Ongkiko, of the Kapatiran for the Common Good, seconded Bautista’s views, saying that the previous city government cannot allow a private group to establish an elite school on the said lot, because it is owned by the local government.