Open Letter to Vice-Mayor Sara Duterte
Barangay Ma-a Federation of Homeowners Associations,Inc.
c/o 3rd St cor Trinidad Ave., Trinidad Greenhills Subdivision
Bugac, Ma-a, Davao City
Telefax No. 244-0090
February 2, 2010
ATTY. SARA Z. DUTERTE
Vice Mayor
Davao City
Dear Vice Mayor,
Warm environmental greetings from our group. Good morning.
We would like to Thank You for accommodating us in your people-filled office last January 13, 2010. Most especially, we would like to thank you for the speedy response to our request for a comprehensive and independent geohazard, geohydro study and slope stability analysis of the entire Shrine Hills area, the Carbon Sink of the city, a mini watershed, and the “apple of the eye” of high-end subdivision developers. Thank you, too, for opening to us the budget window of the City Accounting office. Ms. Justol was helpful and indeed would like to speed up the process of MOA signing between the City Government and Professor Catane. Hopefully the MOA or Service Contract would be favorably reviewed and consummated soon so that the study could immediately begin.
We have an earnest request, Vice Mayor. Kindly HOLD IN ABEYANCE THE SP DECISION REGARDING THE APPLICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT PERMITS (DP) OF PALM GROVE WEST PHASE I (13 of the 30 hectar project) AND POSITANO, UNTIL THE INDEPENDENT STUDY WOULD HAVE BEEN FINISHED AND ITS RESULTS CONSIDERED IN THE RE- ZONING OF THE SHRINE HILL AREA.
In connection with this request, we would like your office TO IMMEDIATELY CONDUCT AN OCULAR INVESTIGATION OF THE RECENT EARTH MOVING, BOULDER SCRAPING AND OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE ABOVE SUBDIVISION PROJECTS and TO STOP THESE SINCE THEY DON’T HAVE A DP. These two subdivision projects already violated the law by constructing “access roads” and other subdivision-related activities even before the PALC was granted. Responsible Development does not circumvent the laws.
Specific to Positano, KINDLY INVESTIGATE THE CUTTING OF SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED TREES, PLANTS IN THEIR AREA BEING SOLD BY INFORMAL SETTLERS THERE FOR FIREWOOD. From Ma-a Road, the hill clearings are visible. This is prelude to soil erosion and big rain water run-off. In Fact we reported these tree cutting to Mr Escalicas, the Manager of Positano/ Camella Homes, during an ocular visit of the project site with him. He said he would attend to this but up to last week, the firewood selling has been going on.
We would appreciate an immediate written response from your office regarding our requests, to wit:
1. to hold in abeyance the decision regarding the DP of Positano and Palm Grove west..
2. to immediately conduct an ocular investigation of the above project sites..
3. specific to Positano, to investigate the cutting of trees …
Daghang salamat, Vice Mayor. For the Bgy Ma-a federation of Homeowners Associations, I remain.
Respectfully Yours,
Norma T. Javellana, President