CEBU CITY -- The nuns prayed, the business owners made tarpaulins, the youth spread the word on social networking websites, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) listened.
Two Cebu flyovers were temporarily deferred as a result of a memorandum signed by Romeo Momo, undersecretary for regional operations of the DPWH Central Office.
“This refers to the proposed construction of two flyover projects in Cebu City, where several groups and stakeholders, including the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) executive committee, have registered their concerns and opposition to these projects,” the memo addressed to DPWH Central Visayas Director Pedro Herrera Jr. read.
“You are advised to hold in abeyance the implementation of these projects until such time that this issue will be resolved,” the letter read.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Citom Board Chairman Sylvan Jakosalem called this a temporary victory, while Representative Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) said the flyover projects can withstand scrutiny.
“There is so much noise being made about this and Manila wants to hear what this is all about. It’s good to hear feedback from both sides, so let’s go ahead with the public hearing,” said Osmeña. “We’re not trying to hide anything.”
Rama and Citom are against the flyovers while Osmeña, his north district counterpart Representative Rachel Marguerite del Mar and the Cebu City Council are for the implementation of the flyovers on Gorordo and M.J. Cuenco Aves.
Opportunity
Representatives from various organizations said the order gives everyone the time to hold consultation meetings, which were allegedly not conducted. It also gives the government a chance to come up with a proposal to address issues such as accessibility of motor vehicles, heritage conservation, and traffic congestion.
“The Movement for a Livable Cebu, formerly known as the Stop Cebu Flyovers Movement, is glad to learn about the hold order,” said group co-convenor Joel Lee in a press statement.
“For a time, we were starting to believe that our concerns regarding these projects were of no importance to the heads of government offices, and we surely feel a sense of relief that our voices have been considered,” he said.
Congresswoman del Mar, who arranged for the P600-million fund for both flyovers, declined to answer a text message and call from Sun.Star Cebu.
During a meeting of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) last Monday, del Mar also refused to talk about the flyovers, and only thanked Osmeña for defending the projects.
Arguments
In that meeting, Osmeña defended the flyovers and said that Mayor Rama only wants to get hold of the P600-million fund to pay for projects that will benefit him politically.
The memorandum was signed last October 7.
Jakosalem believes the DPWH listened to Citom because it is an official department on traffic management.
“It is not a civic group or religious group and in our resolution, our main point was simple and we did not mention environmental impact, master plan and historical (grounds),” said Jakosalem.
Opposition to the flyover on Gorordo Ave. has been more vocal, and includes nuns from the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepcion, Asilo dela Milagrosa Church and Perpetual Succor Hospital.
“I don’t have to highlight this temporary victory but we have to highlight the people that stood against (the flyovers) and that’s victory in a way,” said Mayor Rama. He said he was “very happy” about President Benigno Aquino III’s “listening ears.”
Rama previously wrote President Aquino about opposition to building the flyovers without having the roads widened first. The Citom board passed a resolution citing technicalities that would make the flyovers not feasible.
For the Gorordo Flyover, the main objection by Citom was that both ends of the flyovers would meet an intersection about 200 meters away, Escario-Gorordo on one end and Gen. Maxilom–Gorordo on the other.
This will still slow down traffic.
Hearing
For M.J. Cuenco, the main contention was that Imus Road is a six to eight–lane road that will be funneled by a two-lane flyover and will end in the narrow Hipodromo road, an access road to Ayala Center Cebu.
Rama also said that the technical working group (TWG) formed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) Central Visayas, which he chairs, is already revisiting the two flyover projects.
Jakosalem co-chairs the group and said they are expected to submit a report by November.
Osmeña, for his part, said he is willing to stand up for the projects during the public hearing.
Osmeña admitted it was not polite for him to say that the Asilo dela Milagrosa should just sell its property.
The congressman said he will ask the Asilo nuns “serious questions” during the public hearing, like why they seem to be concerned with the property that will be encroached on by the flyover, and not the fate of 17 orphans who should not be raised in uptown Cebu.
DPWH Central Visayas and del Mar already assured Asilo its property will not be affected by the flyover.
There were about 30 comments on the Facebook pages of Citom Board and the Stop Cebu Flyovers Movement when both posted a copy of the DPWH memorandum.
Suspension
One called it a first round win for Cebu City constituents, while many congratulated Citom for the temporary stoppage.
“Let’s just hope for the best and continue to be vigilant. For all you know, something may also be brewing on the other side of the fence,” one comment read.
Copies of Undersecretary Momo’s memo were sent to lawyer Rafael Christopher Yap, Citom acting department head; Mayor Rama; and Congressman Osmeña.
DPWH Central Visayas Assistant Regional Director Juby Cordon said the bidding has not yet been conducted for the M.J. Cuenco Ave. flyover. For the Gorordo project, however, a notice of award was already issued to WTG Construction.
The indefinite suspension will mean WTG cannot start constructing the Gorordo flyover, despite the notice of award, Cordon said.
Despite the suspension, the possibility of raising the issue in court still lingers, said an environmental lawyer.
Lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos, Philippine Earth Justice Center Inc. co-founder, considers the hold order as “no small victory for the Cebuanos who desire a sustainable Cebu.”
“However, we will push through with the case to stop the flyover projects because the hold order is uncertain and because the institutions and mechanisms for genuine public participation need to be in place,” she added.
Consultation
In an interview, Cebu Association of Tour Operators spokesperson Alice Queblatin said the group values the image of Cebu as a tourist destination and noted the international recognition of Cebu City as a “City of Culture.”
“I think it is best that all groups should be invited in a consultation meeting. We should sit down and go beyond the flyovers,” said Queblatin.
“This could be a wake-up call. Before, only the businessmen expressed concern; now there is the need for a heritage plan,” she added.
Interviewed separately, Church Heritage Commission member Louella Alix pointed out that the Asilo de Milagrosa is considered a heritage structure because it is more than 50 years old.
The church was built in 1934 and survived the war when the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral and the Sto. Niño Basilica were bombed.
Alix, who with husband Rudy owns a store along Gorordo Ave., told Sun.Star Cebu that in terms of architectural design, the Asilo church is the only one left in Cebu with an untouched Gothic design.
Plan
“Through the years, the integrity of design was not compromised, which makes it more precious,” she added. Renovation work was done on the church, but this was to install a temporary extended roof, just to keep the rain away.
Queblatin and Alix said they are not against the construction of flyovers.
But they believe these should be constructed in “proper places” and in accordance to a master plan, which the Cebu City Government should formulate.
“Let’s re-think: how would you like Cebu to look and how should traffic flow?” said Queblatin.
Lee, a businessman, said the master plan should include a technical design for the implementation of a mass transit system on road and on the Mactan Channel, “true sidewalks,” bike lanes and public green spaces.
“(The government should) take necessary steps to direct the fund allocation for the flyovers for urgent infrastructure issues in Cebu, possibly addressing drainage and flooding solutions,” he said. (With Bernadette A. Parco of Sun.Star Cebu)
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