Despite opposition from conservationists and cultural officials, the Manila City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution allowing a property developer to build two 30-story condominium buildings at the heart of the Sta. Ana heritage zone, upholding its exemption from the local zoning law.
After a 45-minute debate, 18 councilors ratified the exemption earlier given by the Manila Zoning Board of Adjustments and Appeals (MZBAA) to CDC Holdings Inc., developer of Manila River Green Residences on Pedro Gil Street.
The exemption lifted the seven-story height limit for residential structures under the 2006 Manila Zoning Ordinance. Tuesday’s resolution effectively gives CDC the go-signal to proceed with the construction, which earlier drew protests from some Sta. Ana residents and was stopped by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The resolution was opposed by District 6 councilors Priscilla Marie Abante, Joel Par, Leilani Marie Lacuna and Elizabeth Rivera, and District 5 Councilor Arnold Atienza.
During the session, Abante reminded the council about another resolution calling for the “strict implementation” of the Manila Zoning Ordinance, especially in the Histo-Cultural Heritage Overlay Zone of Sta. Ana. “This means we should be constrained from approving any exemption,” she said.
Abante also noted that OB Montessori, which is located next to the CDC project, had not issued “an affidavit of nonobjection” to the construction, a document required before local permits are given.
But District 3 Councilor Joel Chua defended the exemption granted by the MZBAA. The board, which is composed of city engineers, planning officials and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada’s legal secretary Edward Serapio, would not have granted the exemption if it did not thoroughly study the case, Chua said.
He also noted that the law creating the Sta. Ana histo-cultural zone—Ordinance 8244—still needed implementing rules and regulations for it to be implemented properly.
Suffering a major setback, Sta. Ana Heritage Tourism Association head Sylvia Lichauco-De Leon said “this is a sad day for heritage conservation in the country. We have been working for Sta. Ana to be declared a heritage zone for six years, only to be screwed by this zoning exemption. It sends a message to developers that they can just go on and just ram through the laws to construct these high-rises.”
“We will have to make a drastic move. We will discuss our next move with our lawyer,” De Leon added.
The NCCA maintained that the cease and desist order it issued against the project last week would remain in effect, pending further action by its board.