The Baguio City Council has requested the Bids and Awards Committee to temporarily suspend the awarding of the road-widening project on Carantes Street due to concerns regarding the safety of adjacent structures affected by the project.
The suspension will enable the owners of affected structures and implementing city government offices to engage in a dialogue and reach a mutually beneficial solution.
Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan said granting the suspension would prevent future disputes and guarantee a smooth progression of the project.
During the city council’s regular session on June 10, 2024, Rene Gosioco, owner of one of the buildings affected by the project, raised concerns about the potential impact of the project on their buildings. He said the project would weaken the foundations and structural supports of the buildings, exposing them to risks especially during calamities like earthquakes.
Gosioco said they are willing to cooperate with the city’s plan for the area but they are seeking a solution that ensures the safety and integrity of their properties.
In the absence of the City Engineering Office (CEO) which is the lead implementer of the project, Atty. Luz Balisong of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) said mitigating measures had already been discussed. She stressed that the CEO does not intend to affect structures that could compromise structural integrity but instead aims to address encroachment on the sidewalk.
Balisong mentioned that the project is part of a larger and city-wide effort focusing on recovering road-right-of-ways (RROWs) for public use.
Responding to the question of Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr. about building permits issued to Gosioco and Occidental families, Balisong clarified that while there were building permits for renovations issues in 2003 and 2013, there were no clearances provided for the road-right-of-way. This lack of clearance had led to the revocation of the building permits in some cases, she said.
Gosioco stated that the reasons for their permit’s revocation included claims that the building was within the RROW and misrepresentation in the application. He claimed they had followed the recommendations and inspections by city engineers and insisted no violation had been made.
Gosioco also mentioned that they had been issued an occupancy permit, a claim disputed by Balisong.
With regard to the intention of the Gosioco family to purchase the land from the city government in case the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) denies their application for titling, Balisong said lots within RROWs are typically not for sale.
Balisong explained that the buildings in question, which the owners claimed to have been constructed in the early 1950s, still require legalization even if they were erected before the enactment of the National Building Code in 1977. This can be achieved by applying for building permits or renovation permits if there are plans to make changes, she said.
The city council’s Committee on Public Works, currently chaired by Cosalan, was tasked to coordinate with all concerned parties to come up with a win-win solution. **Jordan G. Habbiling
