683 illegal structures along waterways uncovered

EFFORTS of the local government to revitalize the city’s environment is gaining headway following the issuance of notices of violation to some 683 structures that were found to have encroached on the prescribed easement of waterways.

Engr. Stephen Capuyan, Engineer IV of the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), reported the illegal structures encroached on the 3meter easement of waterways with 613 houses and buildings found along the stretch of the Sagudin- Balili River while 70 structures were located along the Bued River.

He added that the number of illegal structures that encroached on the 3meter easement of waterways will definitely increase in the coming weeks because of the ongoing inspections being done by assigned personnel in the different waterways located in the different parts of the city.

The city’s aggressive campaign against the proliferation of illegal structures along waterways is anchored on revitalizing the city’s environment which is one of the present administration’s 16-point collective agenda that was crafted by both the executive and legislative departments last year.

Capuyan stated there should have been more illegal structures that had been issued the notices of violation for making encroachments on the prescribed 3-meter ease

ment of waterways in the different parts of the city but such effort had been significantly affected by the prevalence of the Coronavirus disease (Covid – 19) pandemic.

Under the notice of violation, owners of illegal structures are given at least seven days to voluntarily demolish their improvements that they introduced on the easement of waterways. Failure of the owners of the encroachments to voluntarily remove the improvements will compel the city’s demolition team to schedule the removal of the same by virtue of a demolition order that will be issued for the said purpose.

However, the demolition of the encroachments that had been introduced on waterways will only be done after the exhaustion of the 3notice rule with a maximum period of 21 days prior to the dismantling of such improvements.

Capuyan claimed the issuance of the notices of violation to owners of illegal structures that erected encroachments on waterways should serve as a warning to other residents who were not yet issued such notices for them to voluntarily remove their improvements and not to await for the city demolition team to dismantle such improvements built on the easement of waterways in the different parts of the city.