MANILA, Philippines — The Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) the other night denied having plans to build a 20-storey building by the Campania Maritima area, as alleged by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Ownership of the area has been contested by the CPA and City Hall, with the court deciding recently in favor of CPA.
In an official statement posted over its Facebook page, the CPA said the claim is not true.
“To set the record straight, what is being said on the alleged plan of CPA to construct a 20-storey building on Compania Maritima premises is certainly not true,” read the statement.
CPA further stated that “any plan or proposal to this effect was not presented, discussed nor gained any approval from the CPA’s governing body, the Cebu Port Commission.”
Mayor Rama earlier said the plan to build a 20-story building in the area will affect the heritage value of the location.
The mayor also alleged that the CPA has been allowing illegal docking activities, including allowing an unpermitted speedboat and a barge to dock there, and also doing "illegal fencing" of the boulevard there.
The CPA, however, did not respond to these other allegations of the mayor, who tasked Office of the Building Official Head Florante Catalan to monitor the overall welfare of the Compania Maritima, which is considered a heritage structure.
The Regional Trial Court has earlier ruled in favor of the CPA, which filed a complaint representing the Republic of the Philippines against the Cebu City government, on the issue of the ownership of the Compania Maritima.
In a 22-page decision dated June 5, 2023, the court affirmed that the Compania Maritima premises are situated within the Baseport of Cebu, as defined under Executive Order No. 448, s. 1975, and that it belongs to the Republic of the Philippines, through the CPA.
The court further declared that the CPA, as the Republic’s trustee, should be able to exercise its functions within the property, subject to both national and local laws, statutes, and regulations, free from any form of harassment from the defendants.
However, the Cebu City government continues to fight for its ownership claim over the area, with Rama seeking the intervention of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.
PRESERVATION OF HERITAGE STRUCTURES, SITES
Meanwhile, at City Hall, City Councilor Joel Garganera delivered a privilege speech during their regular session last Wednesday and asked for an intensified protection and preservation of the city's heritage structures and sites by implementing the existing ordinances that were meant to safeguard them.
He urged the Cultural and Historical Affairs Office to strictly implement the existing rules and guidelines for the protection of heritage sites and structures.
Aside from this, Garganera also requested the Cebu City Transportation Office to strictly enforce and apprehend violators of the City Ordinance No. 2582.and to install "Slow Down" signages at heritage sites and structures to remind vehicles to take caution and observe the speed limit in the area.
He likewise requested the City Planning Development Office, Office of the Building Official, Zoning Board, Business Processing and Licensing Office "to update and enhance the cultural mapping of the city in order to identify heritage sites and strictly regulate site developments activities surrounding them."
He said heritage sites and structures, like the Casa Gorordo Museum and the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House, are heritage structures that need protection against constant vibrations caused by passing vehicles.
"Nipasar ko og resolution na di na paagian og rota PUJ dira kay naay constant na tremor or uyog kung naay mag agi na mga sakyanan," he said, referrign to Casa Gorordo, which is located in Brgy. Tinago.
He also narrated how in 2019 the 300-year-old stone fence of the Yap- Sandiego Ancestral House was destroyed.
"As it seems karon, pila lang ka adlaw ang nangagi, daghan na sad kaayo og nahitabo nga mga dagko. Nya kanang atop intawon made of clay na siya (Yap -Sandiego Ancestral Houses), naguba nasad kay constant na tremor nya dili lang kay ana, ang ilang dako na vase, naatrasan, naguba na sad," Garganera said.