Developer cited for violating ECC requirements

MORE than a week after its retaining wall collapse, the developer of the Horizons 101 condominium project received a notice of violation from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Regional Director Fernando Quililan of the DENR’s Environmental Management Board said Taft Property Ventures Development Corp. didn’t meet the conditions of their Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) issued last Jan. 27.

Taft Property officials said the violations cited by the agency were “premature,” since they have yet to fully start work on their condominium project in Maxilom Avenue and Juana Osmeña Streets, Cebu City.

The EMB said the developer failed to submit an approved work and financial program as well as documentation of and schedule of activities for the seedling production, tree planting and growing activities.

The developer was also cited for its failure to secure a permit to operate a standby generator and submit reports on the project and their compliance on the conditions of the ECC on a semi-annual basis.

A technical conference between Taft Property officials and the EMB was scheduled on May 2.  The developer was required to set up a nursery for 11,500 seedlings in a nursery and plant trees, Quililan said.

Taft Property’s communications consultant Cerwin T. Eviota said they will submit a written explanation on the project in the May 2 technical conference.

He said the company just started operations and is preparing the program and documentation for the project.

Taft Property’s lawyer Vincent Tomaneng said there was no set deadline for the nursery and tree planting activities.

“Second, there’s no generator set now operating in the site. There’s no building structure yet even to start with, so what would we need a genset for?” he said.

Tomaneng said they only started excavation in January this year and a semi-annual report would mean they are due to submit a report on July. “We’re only in  April now,” he said.

Tomaneng, who said he hasn’t received a copy of the notice yet, assured that they will comply with all requirements in the “appropriate” time. Correspondent Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua and Reporter Aileen Garcia-Yap