LTFRB-7 struggles to find lot for own bldg

For two years now, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB)- 7 is still struggling to find a property within Cebu City where they can build an office instead of renting a space at P60,000 a month.

LTFRB-7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said the budget is already available since 2016 while the building design was also drafted.

The problem lies on looking for a space in Cebu City that is accessible, procurable and free from legal impediments.

He said there were several causes of the delay in acquiring lots in Cebu City because most properties face unresolved technical problems.

“One, there are several properties that lack documents. Lot titles have defect while others were not paid with estate taxes or the names were not yet transferred to the rightful owners. Others, there are still cases in the court that are pending and some of these are sitting in squatter's area,” he explained.

Good thing, he said, LTFRB-7 was granted an extension to retain the allocated budget until this year.

He said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) allotted P70 million for lot acquisition and the amount was already available since 2016.

Supposedly, the budget should have been returned to the treasury of the national government but the regional office was able to request for an extension and 2018 is the “last and final” deadline.

LTFRB-7 has to find an available property since the P90 million budget for the construction of a building will also be affected.

“The budget also for the building construction will be returned since we cannot use that if we still can't acquire a lot. The building construction is contingent to the acquisition of the lot,” he said.

Cuizon said the regional agency is still renting about P60,000 monthly at a building at the North Reclamation Area, between SM City Cebu and Robinsons Galleria.

He said the present building that the more than 40 LTFRB-7 employees and officers are occupying is not designed as an office since it was formerly a warehouse. The place is also vulnerable to flooding and exposed to road dust.

Cuizon said the property the agency intends to buy must be within Cebu City since most of their clients are in Cebu City.

He said the lot should also be wide enough, about 2,000 to 2,500 square meters, to provide a parking space.

After finding a property, Cuizon said construction of the three-story building will immediately start and he hopes to do this in 10 months