Thursday, July 24, 2008 Ruiz sees settlement of row between Lapu, RDC officials
SIXTH District Rep. Nerissa Soon-Ruiz said she saw a positive sign officials of Lapu-Lapu City and the Regional Development Council could solve their conflict over the city’s proposed P10-billion reclamation project.
It was not known whether Ruiz, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Mayor Arturo Radaza, who met President Arroyo at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport yesterday, talked about the Mactan North Reclamation and Development Project on their way to Barangay Gun-ob.
President Arroyo went to the barangay for the turnover of a privately funded nine-classroom building.
Soon-Ruiz and Mayor Arturo Radaza, however, confirmed that the Regional Development Council (RDC) will have an emergency meeting today, which Radaza assured he or his selected officials will attend.
“That could be the end of it. Among paningkamotan nga among matambongan (We will do our best to attend),” Radaza said.
Lapu-Lapu is debating with the RDC, which Governor Garcia chairs, on whether its proposed 400-hectare reclamation project needs the RDC’s endorsement. President Arroyo announced her approval of the project during an April 2004 visit to Lapu-Lapu.
Agreement
Radaza and Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) general manager and executive officer Andrea Domingo also signed during this year’s Kadaugan sa Mactan festival an agreement that gave Radaza the go-signal to start the project.
“Lapu-Lapu’s claim may be right or wrong, but this will be resolved, hopefully in that meeting, as long as both maintain an open line of communication,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz still believes that the city should have consulted the RDC.
Radaza, in his speech during the school turnover, asserted the city’s right to go on with its reclamation project.
“The donation of these physical infrastructure would surely complement our grand dream of transforming the city of Lapu-Lapu into the Asian version of Silicon Valley, as we are poised to implement our much-needed Mactan North Reclamation and Development Project,” he said.
Before he could finish his two-page speech, the moderator cut him off reportedly because the President had to leave for another appointment at the Malacañang sa Sugbo.
Plant
As envisioned, the reclamation—which will cover the foreshorelands of Barangays Punta Engaño, Mactan, Buaya and Ibo— will host an international port, the expansion of the Mactan Economic Zone, and a tourism and commercial district.
The RDC has invoked the implementing rules of Executive Order 325 as its legal basis to be consulted on development projects. That EO created the council.
The Provincial Government also invoked its authority to undertake reclamation projects within its jurisdiction, under an agreement it signed with the Public Estates Authority (now defunct) last Sept. 7, 1989.
Lapu-Lapu Assistant City Attorney Michael Dignos has disputed this, saying the province’s authority was revoked when Malacañang resolved on July 28, 1999 a petition filed by the Malayan Integrated Industries against the Cordova reclamation project.
He also said that Executive Order 543 not only dissolved the PEA and replaced it with PRA, but also gave the latter the sole authority to endorse and approve a reclamation project. (AIV)
