BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Office of Building Official (OBO) has denied allegations that it is deliberately delaying various infrastructure projects initiated by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Iloilo City District Engineering Office (DPWH-ICDEO).
In his letter to Mayor Jerry Treñas, Manuel Magbanua Jr., counsel for OBO, issued a clarification amid concerns and accusations that the OBO is hindering the progress of important infrastructure projects within the city.
“Contrary to the declaration of the District Engineer, the reason why no building permits were issued for its projects is that the ICDEO either did not apply for issuance at all or if an application was submitted, the supporting documents attached were either insufficient or non-compliant with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Iloilo City,” said Magbanua.
Mayor Treñas has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the DPWH City District Engineering Office’s handling of infrastructure projects, which he claims have not met the city’s standards and timelines.
This tension has led to a series of actions, such as the declaration of the DPWH Iloilo City district engineer as persona non grata and the cancellation of certain DPWH projects.
ICDEO Engr. Roy Pacanan was quoted as saying the delayed issuance of permits by OBO hampered the completion of several vital infrastructure projects within the city.
These projects include the rehabilitation of the Mandurriao public market and construction of Barangay Concepcion, City Proper multipurpose building, Jalandoni Memorial High School sports complex, Tanza Esperanza multipurpose building, Santa Filomena, Arevalo multipurpose building, Balantang multipurpose building, and Barangay Katilingban multipurpose building.
Pacanan is considering invoking Republic Act 11032, or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act, to address these delays with the OBO.
In his letter, Magbanua, the OBO counsel, noted that ICDEO submitted only eight permit applications from 2023 up to the present.
Of the eight permit applications, only two projects have been approved while one permit is pending payment, and the five permit applications were returned to the ICDEO for rectification.
To address the deficiencies during the technical evaluation and to facilitate compliance, OBO recommended that ICDEO submit their design plans in advance for initial technical evaluation before the actual application for a building permit.
“If a project passes the initial evaluation, the applicant must still submit their application forms along with other documentary requirements, including the consent of the lot owner,” Magbanua said.
Presently, OBO said ICDEO submitted 36 projects for initial technical evaluation and completed the initial evaluation process of 22 projects. Five application permits are pending release while the remaining nine permit applications are still in the process.
However, ICDEO has not submitted any application for building permit issuance for the 22 projects that initially passed the technical evaluation process.
Magbanua said the delays in the completion of the above projects were either due to the failure of the project proponent to rectify technical or documentary deficiencies found in projects with pending building permit applications, failure to secure the necessary consent of the city, or lack of building permits.
“Some projects have already commenced construction, are nearing completion, or already exist without the necessary building permit,” said Magbanua.
In his letter dated July 1, City Administrator Melchor Tan asked Engr. Sanny Boy Oropel, DPWH-6 director, for updates on the status of the seven development projects undertaken by the agency.
City Hall’s pressure on DPWH-6 highlights ongoing efforts to ensure that infrastructure projects align with the city’s development goals and meet the expectations of its residents./PN
