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Loyola Heights studes, residents want QC torevoke SM exemptionGMA News Online Sat, Aug 13, 2011

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/loyola-heights-studes-residents-want-qc-revoke-sm-145608580.html

Students of Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College demanded Friday that the Quezon Citygovernment revoke the exemption it issued in 2010 allowing SM Development Corporations (SMDC) BlueResidences tower to exceed the height limit prescribed in the citys comprehensive zoning ordinance.

Andrew Copuyoc and Nicole Alonzo, presidents of the student councils of Ateneo and Miriam respectively, saidonly buildings of up to 24 storeys may be built in that area of Loyola Heights where Blue Residences is beingconstructed.

However, SMDC was able to secure a zoning exemption from the city council of Quezon City which allowed thedeveloper to add 18 more storeys to make the mixed-use condominium structure 42 storeys high, Copuyocsaid.

Members of the Barangay Loyola Heights community took to the streets Friday urging Quezon City officials to

revoke the special zoning exemption given to SM Development Corp., developer of the 42-storey condominiumBlue Residences. Candice MontenegroThe (Loyola Heights) community is questioning not just the exemption given, but also the manner by which it

was given to SM," Copuyoc said. "SMDC got the exemption within just one day, when this process usually takesmonths to get approved."

"We wonder why the decision was made with such haste, and why SMDC bypassed the Loyola Heightsbarangay for the permits they need," he added.

"There are a lot of concerns. Not only will it cause heavier traffic, but the building also stands on top of a faultline. This will pose danger not only to the residents of the condominium but also to residents living near thestructure," Miriam Colleges Alonzo added.

Residents of Barangay Loyola Heights, including gated subdivisions La Vista, Alta Vista, Loyola Grand Villas,Xavierville, and Varsity Hills, are also opposing the project.

SMDC has the permits

SMDC, in statement Wednesday, said it obtained prior consent and approval from Barangay Loyola Heights,the Quezon City government and other concerned agencies before the construction of Blue Residences started.

"As a result, a barangay clearance, location clearance, environment clearance, building permit and otherpermits were issued in SMDC's favor," the statement said.

Construction of the 42-storey Blue Residences condominium at the corner of Katipunan Avenue and AuroraBoulevard continues amid protests and petitions to have its special zoning exemption revoked. Candice

MontenegroSMDC also denied that they bypassed Barangay Loyola Heights before they started building the BlueResidences tower.

"A barangay hearing was conducted by Barangay Loyola Heights on February 3, 201... [I]n all these hearingsthe Loyola Heights community was allowed to voice out their concerns and such concerns were answered bySMDC consultants,' the statement said.

SMDC also said the city government "has also ruled that there was no violation of any law by SMDC whichpaved the way for the lifting of the suspension order against the construction of Blue Residences."

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Blue Residences is expected to be ready for turnover to its residents by 2014, according toSMDC's officialwebsite.The tower has 41 floors and a roofdeck. It is rising on a 4,234.51 square meter triangular lot at theintersection of Katipunan Avenue and Aurora Boulevard, near the border of Quezon City and Marikina.

Smooth sailing through city council

Copuyoc said they are protesting not just the fact that SMDC was given zoning exemption but also the fact thatthe Quezon City council granted it to the company. He said the resolution was proposed and passed on thesame day, bypassing the legisilative deliberations it had to go through.

According to research by the Ateneo student council, the city council proposed and passed the ResolutionAuthorizing the Issuance of a Certificate of Exception" to SMDC for the Blue Residences tower on March 8,2010 when now Mayor Herbert Bautista was still vice mayor and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte wasmayor. The acting presiding officer when the council voted to exempt was then Councilor, now CongressmanJorge Bolet" Banal Jr.

The Blue Residences resolution was bundled with other resolutions in favor of SMDC passed without asingle argument on the matter," the Ateneo Sanggunian ng Mga Mag-aaral statement said.

The other measures were for two other property development projects in the city. Former Councilor Ariel Intonintroduced the resolutions with seconding motions" coming from Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr.

Ateneo: Building permit issued despite protests

Earlier this year, the Ateneo administration voiced out its objections to the Blue Residences project. In aposition paper issued in February this year, Ateneo vice president for administration and planning Edna P.Franco said SMDC got the exemption without following the required process."

Franco also said there was absence of any deliberation" in the city council. She noted that SMDC beganconstruction of the tower without a building permit" and excavation activities were noticeable in December2010 although the city engineer issued the building permit only on January 20, 2011.

She said the university wants the construction of the Blue Residences stopped until a true consultation processhas taken place."

Franco appealed to the Quezon City government to demonstrate a model of good governance" and urged theresponsible shareholders of SMDC to fulfill their articulated mission of being good corporate citizens."

Some QC councilors oppose SMDC tower

In a text message to GMA News Online, Quezon City councilor Allan Reyes said there is a proposed Resolution10-223, which Councilor Precious Hipolito Castelo filed, seeking to revoke the exemption issued to SMDC.

"The resolution is on the committee level, but the city council is on recess now," Reyes said. "We have no idearight now as to the hearing schedule." GMA News Online tried to contact Hipolito and Councilor Bong Suntayfor comment, but both councilors could not be reached as of this posting.

There is at least another 42-storey mixed purpose condominium, for which the city council also granted a

zoning exemption. This other project is by Vista Residences Inc. and it has two 42-storey towers. The councilapproved the exemption through Resolution No. SP 4926, S-2010.

City councilors amended the zoning ordinance itself only last June via Ordinance No. SP 2069, S-2011.Candice Montenegro, with Earl Rosero/VS, GMA News

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