Filinvest vs The Davao City Council
July 22nd, 2008 at 11:22 pm (Davao City, Environment)
Filinvest Land has taken a shot against the Davao City Council for allegedly favoring Ayala Land. Filinvest has complained that the council has been dragging its feet in approving Filinvest’s request for land reclassification even though it has fully supported Ayala Land’s plans in the city.
What Filinvest fails to point out is that their request is to reclassify a land located over an aquifer. And the reclassification is to convert the land from a “Protected Low Density Residential Zone” to “Protected Medium Density Residential Zone.” This request has already been denied by the City Council citing the importance of preserving the area as one of the main sources of tap water of Davao City.
Before Filinvest, or any investor for that matter, questions the City Council, maybe it should question itself first. What are their priorities and values? The City Council, as I have witnessed countless times, has never dragged its feet on issues, resolutions, and ordinances. Davao City, in fact, prides itself as an investor-friendly city. But it does not mean that big bucks and profitable investments will take over the city’s priorities, including environmental protection.
True, Filinvest has brought significant investments to the city. That shouldn’t, however, embolden them to squander the city’s resources. As an investor in the city, they must adjust to the priorities and values of the city, rather than demand that the city bend over just to accommodate them.
If they don’t value environmental protection as much as our city government does, then they should re-think investing in the city rather than whining about their woes.
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Guillermo Prat said,
July 26, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Protecting the aquifers is important. Filinvest intends to do that by having a three chamber septic/sewerage system. The current situation in the area needs more than just denying the applications of would be developers.
First, many home and structures already exist in the area. What is being done by the council to address this other than to deny further development by land developers?
Second, lands are still being sold, in small lots for small family homes and houses are being constructed with inadequate septic/sewerage systems. Again, what will the council do about that?
Third, the zoning classification identifies the left side of the Libby road as being within the restricted area while the right side is not. Does the water in the aquifer not come from the right side of the road, moving along under the road to end up on the left side as it moves towards the sea?
Lastly, if land owners cannot sell, cannot develop the area because the city leaders want to “protect the aquifers” then, should the city not buy and/or compensate the land owners for their “misfortune” for having their property sitting on top of the aquifers.
The council doing their job? I beg to disagree. Drive around the area and see how many structures are already there, structures with inadequate “protection” on our aquifers. Problems created by past councils must be rectified by the current council.
sam said,
July 29, 2008 at 7:32 pm
tama yan! environment means our home. we should always protect it!
Maria said,
July 30, 2008 at 12:12 am
The application denied was not to make housing units but to change the classification of the land from low density to medium density.
Guillermo Prat said,
July 30, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Maria, after it is changed to medium density, housing units will be constructed on that land. That is what land development is for.
Maria said,
July 31, 2008 at 12:16 am
There is a big difference between the classifications of low density and medium density. The council is not preventing Filinvest to develop the land or to build housing units. It is merely regulating the number of units that will be built based on the classification of the land.
Guillermo Prat said,
August 3, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Agree that density or number of units will move from 30 to a hectare up to 60 per hectare. After having denied the re class, what plans do the councilors have about the houses that are already there, 90-100 per hectare or high density housing with very little by way of septic/sewerage facilities? One councilor says it is a problem created by previous councils. Do we just sit back and say we did our jobs in denying the request for re class, not our problem to solve the proliferation of houses already in the area? How serious are we in the desire to protect the aquifer?