By Eva C. Visperas

 

LAST Monday, the  Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall was full-packed.

I wondered what the agenda was since there were a lot of spectators, seated guests that included newsmen who normally don’t cover the beat.

I got a copy of the agenda and I saw a ‘Question Hour ‘on the status of the agricultural land reclassification legislative measures of Urdaneta City.

First impression I had was, oh, did it have something to do with the forthcoming elections? Hmmmm, some thought the same when I asked a few smart newsmen and ordinary employees.

Urdaneta City officials led by Mayor Rammy Parayno were there, as well as important provincial department heads led by Provincial Legal Officer Baby Ruth Torre.

Opening salvo, from Second District Board Member Philip Theodore Cruz, chairman of the Committee on Housing, Land Utilization and Agrarian Reform: It has come to my attention that Urdaneta has the highest number of non-subscribers to Resolutions and Ordinances. But I would just like to clarify that the province of Pangasinan is not against the development of Urdaneta and other cities.

Not against the development of Urdaneta (with emphasis). Hmmm.

Then he went on to say : This is my mandate as chairman of this committee, (Land Use). That is why we are doing this.

He asked about the classification of the land area on the sides of the bypass road, now called Danding Cojuangco Avenue. Because there are reports that there are already many businesses being built there, Cruz said.

Mayor Rammy pointed out that he believes that they are allowed to make construction even without the so-called reclassification as they have already been included under the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Urdaneta.

So a lot of blah blah blahs went on. Lengthy discussion on the processes the Urdaneta City government observes, as affirmed by the mayor, Sangguniang Panlungsod members and other city department heads who came for the inquiry.

But Board Member Noel Bince, a lawyer, had this to say: That is not our point. That’s your call. If there is a person or a corporation that requested you to issue or pass an ordinance reclassifying a parcel of land from agricultural to residential or commercial, our point here, that’s why we called you here, to ask you whether or not your ordinance in the city of Urdaneta will be reviewed by the provincial government.

As explained to the local media by Vice Governor Lambino, SP presiding officer: When you talk about that, you’re talking about those agricultural lands, nagpatayo sila ng mga buildings dyan. In certain areas, agricultural lands were converted to commercial or industrial, na hindi dumaan sa proseso. Ang tamang proseso. Actually, yun ang kine-question ni Board Member Philip Cruz, was the process na yung proseso na ginagawa ay mali. Kasi ang pinapasa lang nila is a resolution or reclassification which is not valid.

He continued, “It should be an ordinance because you’re amending a land use plan ordinance. May issues na you cannot just modify the utilization of a classified piece of land from agricultural to another purpose without undergoing conversion or reclassification. Differentiate muna natin na conversion is the changing of the purpose or utility of the land from agricultural to another purpose. Reclassification is basically changing the purpose based on the land use plan or zoning ordinance of an LGU.”

“At ang pwede na mag-reclassify ay ang Sanggunian, ang LGU lang. Conversion, DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) lang pwede nga dumaan yan. So, the question kanina doon sa question hour kung saan pinatawag ni BM Philip Cruz ang Urdaneta ay yung proseso nila ng pag-reclassify ng lupa.”

“Because there are allegations that may mga tumatayong structures sa mga lupa that were not properly reclassified and are in violation of several national laws including RA 7160 and 8455. So, lumabas doon sa Question Hour na ang pinapasa nga ng Sangguniang Panlungsod ay mga resolution lamang, walang ordinansa na naipasa or hindi kumpleto yung kanilang mga ordinansa.”

So there you go, folks. Ordinance needed, not mere resolutions, and must be reviewed by the provincial board. No shortcuts.

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments