Move prevents sale of SRP lots sans council approval

After Mayor Michael Rama created an ad hoc management committee for the South Road Properties (SRP), a Cebu City Councilor proposed an ordinance that prohibits the mayor from selling SRP lots.

Councilor Noel Eleuterio Wenceslao last Wednesday proposed an ordinance that seeks to protect the SRP and its stakeholders from “unlawful and unauthorized transactions and dealings.”

The proposed ordinance was referred to the Committee on Laws, headed by Councilor Sisinio Andales. Both Wenceslao and Andales are allies of former mayor and now congressman Tomas Osmeña, who has been vocal against the disposal of SRP lots by Mayor Rama.

Rama’s executive order creating the ad hoc management committee for SRP states that the immediate disposition of real properties especially at the SRP is needed to create employement to the city constituents.

“The disposition of real properties especially at the south Road Properties is necessary in order to give back to the people of the City of Cebu whose welfare and benefits have been suspended with the setting aside funds of more than P500 million every year for the repayment of loan, and mindful that said amount would have earlier or on time addressed the concerns and improved the lives of the constituents who are collective owners of the SRP,” Rama said.

The committee is tasked to prepare or formulate the SRP Development Framework for the existing and future developments of the site, formulate and recommend appropriate policies and management approaches in marketing the SRP and study possible disposition of identified properties for the approval of the Mayor.

But Section 3 of Wenceslao’s proposed ordinance states no person including the mayor and the bids and award committee is authorized to sell and dispose SRP properties without prior approval from the council.

“The Sangguniang Panlungsod declares that no official or employee is authorized to solicit bids, or hold for public auction or bidding, the conveyance of any property in the South Road Properties, so as to ensure that no such official or employee will advertise or claim authority to approve or push any project involving the SRP which may be detrimental to existing investments and undertakings in the SRP, cause a deterioration in the projected property values therein and be inconsistent with the local development plan,” the proposed ordinance further reads.

It however does not prohibit any interested party, investor or stakeholder from submitting their unsolicited proposals without the council’s prior approval.

Investors are welcome to submit their proposals if they are willing to participate in the development of the SRP.

Section 5 of the proposed ordinances also provides that officials and employees of the city are strictly prohibited from purchasing any real property owned by the city and from having a financial interest in any transaction or contract with the City or in which the city is an interested party.