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‘Only mayor can stop mall construction’

March 4, 2011

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Vice Mayor Edwin Santiago said Thursday that only Mayor Oscar Rodriguez can stop the construction of malls and supermarkets in the city.
Santiago’s statements came after officials of local vendors groups aired their concerns about the effects of a mall being constructed at the city’s heritage district, very near the poblacion, during the 4th City Council’s 33rd regular session.
“It is only the mayor who could stop that since he has the necessary police powers. We at the City Council could just regulate and balance everything,” Santiago told Sun.Star Pampanga.
Councilors Noel Tulabut, Lito Ocampo and Jimmy Lazatin recently withdrew their support on two resolutions — Resolution 2011-007 known as a “Resolution requesting the Hon. Oscar S. Rodriguez for the creation of a technical Working Group (TWG) to study and formulate the proposed ordinance regulating the construction and operation of supermarkets/malls in the City of San Fernando,” and Resolution 2011-008, which asks “Hon. Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez to hold in abeyance the issuance of building and business permits pending the completion of the proposed ordinance regulating the establishment of malls in the city of San Fernando.”
“What we are worried about is the welfare of the public in terms of traffic and the concern of local vendors. Of course, there is no law that says we can’t allow mall construction, unless the mayor would hold in abeyance the building permit for the same reasons. Let’s talk about this first and find solutions to our traffic problems and the concern of our local vendors and investors,” Santiago said.
He said alternative programs must be made for vendors who would be affected.
Vendors groups have been similarly divided over the issue, with one group saying malls in the city proper would spur economic activity again, while the other group claims it would further “kill” their businesses.
“What would be good alternative programs for them? We could probably benchmark those in Divisoria where local vendors were not affected. Or like in San Juan, where malls in Greenhills did not also affect small and medium enterprises. That is why we passed those two resolutions to study the establishment of malls and supermarkets,” said Santiago.
However, in an earlier interview, Rodriguez told Sun.Star Pampanga that it is their property and they could not do anything if they already want to use and construct a mall.
“We would allow them so long as they conform to city rules and regulations, particularly in preserving the Heritage District which they have agreed to,” he said. (Jovi T. De Leon)

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2011/03/04/only-mayor-can-stop-mall-construction-143038

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