NEWS BRIEFS

‘DAWAT LIMPYO’ FOR CUSTOMS?

Cebu City Vice Mayor Joy Young criticized the offer of Mayor Michael Rama to donate a lot in the South Road Properties (SRP) to the Bureau of Customs in exchange for preserving the Malacanang sa Sugbu, which Customs Commissioner Ruffno Biazon wants to recover.

Young said the mayor’s offer was a land swap.

“Unsa sila – dawat limpyo?,” Young said.

Young said any disposal or donation of SRP lots would need council authority./Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters

REDUCE SCHOOL GARBAGE FEE

Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella is proposing to lower the annual garbage fee for academic institutions.

Labella observed that the P300,000 garbage fee imposed on private schools and universities and the P100,000 fee for commercial establishments was unfair since hotels, restaurants and amusement places generate more waste.

His proposal would reduce the fees for private schools to P200,000./Doris C. Bongcac

MANDAUE RIVERBANK HOUSES TO BE DEMOLISHED

At least 200 houses along the riverbanks of Mandaue City will be demolished before the onset of the rainy season in June to avoid flooding and placing people in harm’s way.

Mayor Jonas Cortes said affected families should have enough time to voluntarily remove their houses when he posptoned the implementation of a February 2012 demolition order.

Houses to be demolished are located near the Butuanon River in barangay Paknaan, riverbanks of barangay Maguikay and Philcadan area in barangay Subangdako.

Development of a 6.5 hectare relocation site in Paknaan is ongoing.

The city plans to build 20 two-story houses in the first quarter for relocated informal settlers./Fe Marie D. Dumaboc, Correspondent