The City Planning and Development Office said it is implementing Resolution 118-2022 which grants amnesty to businesses in the city that are not compliant with the National Building Code and the zoning ordinance.
In a forum with the city council, CPDO representative James Cosep said their office processes the application of an applicant with no building permit as long as the applicant provides an affidavit of undertaking. As stated in the affidavit of undertaking, the applicant should secure a building permit within 135 days from the issuance of the business permit.
The forum was held in light of the letter of Dr. Edward Dogui-is on July 12, 2021 regarding the difficulty of small scale real estate lessors in Idogan Village, Purok 20, Irisan barangay in acquiring business permits due to absence of building permits.
City Permits and Licensing Officer Allan Abayao said three of the 16 applicants from Idogan Village had already been issued business permits.
The city council advised the homeowners association to avail of the amnesty.
The amnesty covers all businesses that were forced to cease operation and those with pending applications for business permits.
The amnesty allows the resumption of these affected businesses, but they must “exert diligent efforts to perfect their titles, possession, and ownership over the land and buildings where they conduct their business operations.”
The amnesty was enacted last March. Subsequently, Mayor Benjamin Magalong encouraged building owners to secure building permits to legalize the status of their buildings subject to the submission of the following: an affidavit of undertaking to correct the non-compliant aspect of the building; updated tax declaration for the lot and building; and duly signed and sealed survey plan from a geodetic engineer reflecting the relative position of the structure.
Public Information Office head Aileen Refuerzo said 80 percent of the structures in the city totaling 51,000 have no building permits based on a census conducted by the city government. – Jordan G. Habbiling
