MINORITY NO SHOW

THE Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), with six majority councilors in favor and one abstaining, has passed the city’s Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance during its regular session last Tuesday, June 21 to support the recently approved Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).

The measure was passed despite the warning of Vice Mayor Brian Lim, who was acting mayor, and Councilor Alipio Serafin Fernandez, assistant majority floor leader who has now joined the cause of the minority, that passage of the zoning ordinance could result in litigation and the SP members who participated in its passage may be administratively and criminally liable.

Councilor Karlos Reyna IV, vice chairman of the land utilization committee, moved for the passage of the zoning ordinance and approved with several amendments proposed by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo, vice chairman on the committee on laws. The amendments, he said, incorporated the comments made by the Regional Land Use Council (RLUC), which first reviewed the proposed CLUP.

Those who voted for the measure were Councilors Karlos Reyna, Jose Netu Tamayo, Jesus Canto, Alvin Coquia, Marvin Fabia and Marcelino Fernandez. Councilor Jeslito Seen abstained. The session was presided by Councilor Maybelyn Fernandez, the acting vice mayor.

Councilors Fernandez and the two members of the minority–Redford Erfe Mejia and Guillermo Vallejos– were not present during the regular session.

The vice mayor claimed the CLUP was illegally passed on June 7, 2016, maintaining that two sessions cannot be held by the body in one day. It also cited attempts “to illegally and clandestinely include in this week’s regular session of the amendment in the city zoning ordinance which, he said, is the necessary consequence of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan” and even without public hearings.

In a privilege speech, Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo called the letter of Mr. Lim “irresponsible, careless and smacked of politicking” because the majority members merely continued the session and proceeded to approve the CLUP.

He said the vice mayor adjourned the session despite objections raised to motion to adjourn and under the internal rules of the SP, the chairman cannot adjourn the session if there is still an unresolved motion and unless all the items in the agenda have already been taken up.

He said he and the other members of the SP majority are willing to face any administrative or criminal cases that may be filed by Mr. Lim and his group.

On Mr. Lim’s claim that no public hearings were conducted, City Secretary Ryan Ravanzo confirmed there were four public hearings conducted and the latest was in November 2015, including one consultation with the people’s organization.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tamayo pointed out owners of properties in the designated new growth centers cannot convert or reclassify their agricultural land to commercial unless they get the clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
He added that the both the zoning ordinance and the CLUP still need to approved by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB). (Leonardo Micua)

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