News Briefs

COURT SETTLEMENT ON SUBDIVISION ROW

A COURT settlement was reached between a couple and a company owned by philanthropist Mariquita Salimbangon-Yeung over a failed housing unit deal last month.

In a press statement, MSY Holding Corp. said it would pay the couple Jaye and Vincent Paul Logan P1.8 million in exchange for a public apology in court and through the local dailies.

The compromise agreement was approved by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 58. Both sides have agreed to drop the charges against each other.

The couple earlier asked a reimbursement of the P3.6 million they paid for the two units at Bayswater Subdivision developed by MSY Holdings Corp.

The Logans accused MSY Holding Corp. of failure to fulfill its promises after they purchased the units located at Agus Road, barangay Marigondon, Lapu-Lapu City.

The couple said the units were not delivered on time on March 2010.

They were  completed in October but the couple alleged that the work was “obviously done in haste.”

The couple also filed a case against MSY Holdings before the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HULRB) but the board ruled in favor of the company.

MSY Holding Inc., in turn, filed a P5-million damage suit against the couple for maligning its reputation.

In their compromise agreement, the couple opted to waive and forego any claims, rights, and interest over two units in Bayswater.

MSY vowed to waive its claims for damages against the couple. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

SIDEWALK VENDORS RELOCATION

Sidewalk and ambulant vendors will be relocated to stalls inside the Taboan Public Market in Cebu City to draw in buyers and avoid congestion in the roads.

City Market Administrator Raquel Arce said dried fish vendors whose sidewalk stalls along Lakandula streets will have to be relocated inside the market despite their complaints that their designated stalls are too small for them.

Since the Taboan market is close to the Pasil fish market, Arce said there’s no reason to accommodate many fresh fish vendors in the area.

She said they would remove wooden structures to allow vendors to better display their fish to buyers.

Arce warned the dried fish vendors not to use their vending area as their storage and sleep area.

Once the market perimeter fence project is completed, various entrances would be provided for buyers especially along Lakandula Street.

A separate entrance will be provided for household buyers while tourists buses will be directed to a separate entrance where they will be closer especially to stalls selling dried fish and other pasalubong (take home products).

Arce said the city government allocated P58 million for market improvement projects under the 2012 budget.

Of that amount P17.5 million was set aside for re-proofing and building a perimeter fence for the Taboan public market. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

LAPU DEMOLITIONS SUSPENDED

TWO demolitions in barangays St. Joseph Marigondon and Punta Engaño were suspended owing to a memorandum from the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) mandating coordination among concerned agencies.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, Lapu-Lapu City police chief, said the court sheriff and the city government should coordinate with the National Housing Authority (NHA), Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) during demolitions.

About 70 families will be affected by the demolition in St. Joseph. Rebecca Maranga, president of the Nagkahiusang Kabus sa Marigondon (Nakasma), said they won’t leave their homes.

In sitio Mangal, barangay Punta Engaño the settlers there also reiterated that they won’t leave the area. Punta Engaño Barangay Captain Lourdes Ibag negotiated with them to vacate the lot since it is a titled land. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza