Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Filinvest hits council for slow action on applications
DEVELOPER Filinvest hits the City Council's fast and full support of the proposed Ayala Mall, saying that Filinvest has also brought "significant volume of tax revenues for the city" but has not been granted the same treatment.
In a letter to Vice Mayor Sara Duterte and coursed through Housing Chair Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling, Filinvest cited its appeal to the City Council to reconsider its application for reclassification to allow the development of a medium density subdivision project in a low density residential zone area.
"Our letter appeal was submitted and received in your offices on April 22, 2008. We have not received any advice or notice that any kind of reply or action is being undertaken by the city to address our request or application," the letter, signed by Filinvest Vice president for Visayas and Mindanao Tristan Las Marias, stated.
Filinvest said it has already been 90 days since the City Council received their request, thus it is not compliant to Executive Order 45 that requires the City Council to deliberate and act on any permit application within a maximum of 45 days or otherwise the said application is considered approved.
Reports that City Council is committed to fast track the Ayala Mall application due to tax revenue prospects, which can be gained from the project, reached Filinvest.
"Filinvest also has investments in Davao City that brought about significant volume of tax revenues for the city. Filinvest currently has 10 subdivision projects in Davao City, for a total investment of around 12 billion. Three of these subdivision projects are already completed and have already brought about increases in the values of land within its area of developments -- Cilla Mercedita in Dumoy, Orange Grove in Matina-Pangi and Fuente de Villa Abrille in Tulip Drive-Matina," said Las Marias.
They are asking the City Council to reconsider their application "in the light of their forthcoming deliberations for the approval of this new project in Bajada."
The Filinvest application to have its property in Barangay Dumoy, Talomo District reclassified from "Protected Low Density Residential Zone" to "Protected Medium Density Residential Zone" was turned down by the City Council in January 2008.
Filinvest wanted to have the 23,919-square meter property reclassified to accommodate a housing project but this was not allowed as law states that in a protected low-density residential zone, the minimum lot area is 500 square meters per housing unit. In a protected medium density residential zone, minimum lot area per housing unit is 200 square meters.
"Gusto nila ma-reclassify para mas marami silang mabenta na units kasi kung 500 square meters each, although the same ang price per square meter, mahal kasi malaki na at kokonti lang ang bibili kasi mahal. Mahihirapan sila magbenta (They want to reclassify it so they could sell more lots. If they sell at 500 square meters of lot per unit, it would be more expensive compared to 200 square meters of lot per unit)," Councilor Leonardo Avila said several months back.
Avila is among the councilors who are against major developments in the city's aquifer areas.
Most of the council members explained their vote, saying they believe that protected areas such as Dumoy, where aquifers or underground water sources are located, must remain free from any major housing development so as not to contaminate the water source. (GLP/With Sunnex)
