Council tackles Goshen Land controversy with New Lucban barangay
>> Thursday, March 17, 2022
By Jordan G. Habbiling
BAGuio CITY -- The
Baguio City Council invited representatives of Goshen Land Capital Inc. and
concerned residents to its regular session last Monday to thresh out issues
concerning ongoing construction of a
10-floor dormitory by Goshen Land here at Purok 3, New Lucban Barangay.
Residents of New Lucban Barangay filed a petition to the Mayor’s Office on Feb. 14, 2022 against the project.
The petition claimed that the land developer had encroached on the right of way at Purok 3 without having acquired proper permits from the concerned offices and without having consulted the residents.
The petition claimed the company’s heavy trucks and machinery had caused cracks on the access road which can only accommodate light vehicles.
According to the petition, there was no soil test conducted prior to the construction.
John Tabisola, a resident of New Lucban Barangay, expressed to the city council his opposition against the construction of Goshen Land’s dormitory at Purok 3.
Tabisola said the road easement affected by the ongoing construction had been granted by the city government and the lot owner to the barangay.
Attending the forum through zoom, lawyer Alexander Bangsoy, CEO of Goshen Land, gave the council key information about the dormitory being constructed.
The Stanford Residences Dormitory will accommodate students in the city, mostly those who are studying at the main campus of Saint Louis University.
The fire code compliant structure has 200 units. Each unit can accommodate up to four individuals.
Bangsoy said the dormitory with adequate amenities, once constructed, would enhance the living experience of students in the city.
Disputing the claim that there were no consultations with the residents, he showed pictures during public consultations and documents proving that there were notices issued by the barangay regarding the presentation of the project.
He showed scanned copies of excavation, fencing, demolition, and development permits acquired from the concerned offices and agencies. However, he admitted that the company has yet to be issued a locational clearance by the City Planning and Development Office and a building permit by the City Building and Architecture Office.
According to him, their building permit has been pending for months despite having complied with all the necessary requirements. He also added that their locational permit was ready for release but was again delayed due to the complaint of the residents.
Despite the absence of the two building requirements by the city government, the company commenced construction prior to the rainy season to avoid inconveniences the monsoon may have caused in the construction site and in nearby residential areas.
A scanned copy of the results of the soil test was also shown to the city council to deny the accusation of the petitioners.
The Goshen Land's CEO also claimed that the affected road is not the legal road which has a 6-meter right of way as annotated in the lot title. As shown in the map, the affected road is perpendicular to the existing road.
Contrary to the statement of the petitioners, he claimed that some residential structures around the site were the ones that encroached on the right of way of the legal road.
However, he said the company would not resort to any moves leading to the demolition of these structures.
He also claimed that it was the affected road that encroached on the Carantes property which was bought by Goshen Land.
“Insisting on [the existence] of that road would be unfair and detrimental to us,” he exclaimed.
He proposed that the company would give up a portion of its land with a lot area of 227 sqm to be used as a road easement by the residents.
As to the cracks on the road caused by the construction, Bangsoy apologized to the residents and promised the company would undertake the necessary repair and would maintain the road access during and after the construction.
Tabisola said they would sit down with Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon, Chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Public Works, to discuss the merit of Goshen Land’s proposal.
Yaranon scheduled a joint inspection in the area on March 10, 2022. It was participated by the staff of Goshen Land, officials of New Lucban Barangay, representatives of City Planning and Development Office Represents, and the concerned residents of Purok 3, New Lucban Barangay. A meeting with both parties was also conducted to come up with “win-win” solutions.
Residents of New Lucban Barangay filed a petition to the Mayor’s Office on Feb. 14, 2022 against the project.
The petition claimed that the land developer had encroached on the right of way at Purok 3 without having acquired proper permits from the concerned offices and without having consulted the residents.
The petition claimed the company’s heavy trucks and machinery had caused cracks on the access road which can only accommodate light vehicles.
According to the petition, there was no soil test conducted prior to the construction.
John Tabisola, a resident of New Lucban Barangay, expressed to the city council his opposition against the construction of Goshen Land’s dormitory at Purok 3.
Tabisola said the road easement affected by the ongoing construction had been granted by the city government and the lot owner to the barangay.
Attending the forum through zoom, lawyer Alexander Bangsoy, CEO of Goshen Land, gave the council key information about the dormitory being constructed.
The Stanford Residences Dormitory will accommodate students in the city, mostly those who are studying at the main campus of Saint Louis University.
The fire code compliant structure has 200 units. Each unit can accommodate up to four individuals.
Bangsoy said the dormitory with adequate amenities, once constructed, would enhance the living experience of students in the city.
Disputing the claim that there were no consultations with the residents, he showed pictures during public consultations and documents proving that there were notices issued by the barangay regarding the presentation of the project.
He showed scanned copies of excavation, fencing, demolition, and development permits acquired from the concerned offices and agencies. However, he admitted that the company has yet to be issued a locational clearance by the City Planning and Development Office and a building permit by the City Building and Architecture Office.
According to him, their building permit has been pending for months despite having complied with all the necessary requirements. He also added that their locational permit was ready for release but was again delayed due to the complaint of the residents.
Despite the absence of the two building requirements by the city government, the company commenced construction prior to the rainy season to avoid inconveniences the monsoon may have caused in the construction site and in nearby residential areas.
A scanned copy of the results of the soil test was also shown to the city council to deny the accusation of the petitioners.
The Goshen Land's CEO also claimed that the affected road is not the legal road which has a 6-meter right of way as annotated in the lot title. As shown in the map, the affected road is perpendicular to the existing road.
Contrary to the statement of the petitioners, he claimed that some residential structures around the site were the ones that encroached on the right of way of the legal road.
However, he said the company would not resort to any moves leading to the demolition of these structures.
He also claimed that it was the affected road that encroached on the Carantes property which was bought by Goshen Land.
“Insisting on [the existence] of that road would be unfair and detrimental to us,” he exclaimed.
He proposed that the company would give up a portion of its land with a lot area of 227 sqm to be used as a road easement by the residents.
As to the cracks on the road caused by the construction, Bangsoy apologized to the residents and promised the company would undertake the necessary repair and would maintain the road access during and after the construction.
Tabisola said they would sit down with Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon, Chairperson of the Sanggunian’s Committee on Public Works, to discuss the merit of Goshen Land’s proposal.
Yaranon scheduled a joint inspection in the area on March 10, 2022. It was participated by the staff of Goshen Land, officials of New Lucban Barangay, representatives of City Planning and Development Office Represents, and the concerned residents of Purok 3, New Lucban Barangay. A meeting with both parties was also conducted to come up with “win-win” solutions.
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