Urdaneta Apartments board faces raps
MANILA, Philippines—For reversing the agenda items to prioritize waterproofing and painting over the installation of a required fire sprinkler system, officials and members of the board of directors of the Urdaneta Apartments Condominium Association now face civil and criminal charges.
Some unit owners filed a case against their association officials early this month after they found out almost a year later that four of the five board members had waterproofing problems which they, not the association, should have repaired themselves.
The association would pay for such repairs only if they involved structural issues and common areas.
The complainants, led by Dr. Daniel Vazquez, wanted the sprinkler system prioritized since Makati fire officials had warned the association of penalties for noncompliance and for the safety of the residents.
But in a meeting in November 2013, the association instead decided to waterproof and paint the building first despite several objections. The decision was not put to a vote, and the officials ignored subsequent written requests for information, the complaint said.
It was only three months later, or in February 2014, that the association conducted a survey to really find out if there was a waterproofing need.
The survey found that of the 56 units in the building, only 33 had this problem, of which 23 were window-related, meaning it was the unit owners who should pay for the repair, the complaint said.
Regarding the sprinkler system, the association was given by Makati fire officials until October 2015 to comply. The warning was issued in March 2012.
The complaint also asked the court to stop the association officials from making Vazquez and all unit owners pay for their legal defense.
The defendants are Carolyn Butler, Jose Santiago Picornell, Jr., Ma. Lourdes Senn, Violeta Gallego, Fausto Preysler and Mark Nocon, building administrator.
