A firm is opposing the request of the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation (BREDCO) for a Resolution of No Objection (RONO) to its intent to reclaim an additional 25 hectares in Bacolod.
Ritchie Neil Corpus, Almana Property and Development Corporation (APDC) president and chief executive officer, in a letter to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran on Tuesday, January 9, said his firm is opposing the request of BREDCO for a RONO from the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.
BREDCO is not allowed to expand and reclaim additional foreshore lands of Bacolod under its Comprehensive Revised Reclamation Agreement, he said.
Corpus is asking the SP to deny the request of BREDCO for a RONO and to hold comprehensive public hearings on the matter which his firm will participate in.
APDC submitted an unsolicited proposal to Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in November 2022 to create and establish the Almana Global Business District Project which includes the reclamation and development of foreshore lands along the coastline of Brgy. 16, Bacolod City, Corpus said.
In a letter to the mayor dated Monday, January 8, Corpus states that they have yet to receive any communication from lawyer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr., who is the Secretariat of the Bacolod City Public-Private Partnership for the People (P4) Committee.
“We hope that you will give this letter your most urgent and favorable attention”, Corpus told the mayor.
The SP is expected to take up the request of BREDCO for a RONO at its regular session Wednesday, January 10.
BREDCO president Jose Antonio Alonte Jr. has requested the SP to calendar the “Endorsement of the City Mayor, Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, and regarding BREDCO’s intention to reclaim additional areas for development under the replanning / reengineering of port operations”.
BREDCO and the DENR have had an existing Miscellaneous Lease Agreement for a period of 25 years that commenced on July 14, 2004 until July 13, 2029, he said.
BREDCO has already acquired an undisputable right and interests over the properties under its MLA with DENR long before Corpus purchased his lots, Alonte said.*