Public officials of the same ‘feather’

The Supreme Court has issued a temporary restraining order on the construction of Torre de Manila, a 49-story condominium project right behind the monument of national hero Jose Rizal at the Luneta, Manila. Construction is already “30.7 percent complete with ongoing structural work at the 32nd floor,” according to the project developer. Apparently, hundreds of millions of pesos have already been plunked down for an eyesore that is widely denounced as having the effect of degrading a historic icon.

Something has gone terribly awry here. From the very start, the proposed project violated existing city ordinances. But a seeming conspiracy in the city council worked overtime to secure for the project an “exemption” from all legal constraints. How that ever came about has a pretty obvious explanation. With no more legal impediment standing in the way, DMCI started digging.

Practically the same thing happened in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Proposed high-rise condominium projects violate existing city ordinances, more particularly zoning. Amid all the protests and rallies by residents and subdivision homeowners, property developers brandished “exemptions” that emanated from the city council. How that ever came about has a pretty much the same obvious explanation. As a consequence, everyone going to Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College along Katipunan Avenue in Loyola Heights will soon suffer an intolerably worsened traffic gridlock due to the massive public works needed to upgrade the sewerage system and other utilities in that neck of the woods.

Esteban Abada Street, a two-lane narrow stretch of road parallel to—and used to divert traffic from—Katipunan Avenue (which turns into a veritable parking lot on school days), was just recently improved and paved. It is about to be “improved” again by the Department of Public Works and Highways to “solve” the extreme congestion and density brought about by the numerous high-rise condominium projects granted “exemptions” by the city council. More are currently under construction. Much bigger culverts are required to funnel out the enormous waste and refuse from those condominium units, bigger pipes for (meager) water distribution, bigger Meralco poles for (scant) power supply, etc. That alternate route will surely be clogged, too, and virtually closed to traffic for about eight months when heavy equipment starts rolling!

“Rizal” is lucky. Republic Act No. 10066, otherwise known as the “National Cultural Heritage Act” got his back, literally! That law protects “heritage zones” designated by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum, like the Luneta or Rizal Park.

The Manila councilors and building officials complicit in what appears to be a scam have a lot of explaining to do as the project they approved with alacrity suddenly finds itself in the tank. How true is the rumor that our own officials in Quezon City are just laughing all the way to bank?!

—STEPHEN L. MONSANTO,

Monsanto Law Office,

Loyola Heights, Quezon City,

[email protected]