BAGUIO CITY – The Baguio City Council has ordered Suntrust Properties Inc. to temporarily halt its construction of Sunstar 88 Condominium to give the developer time to repair the tourist road along Gibraltar Barangay that has been reduced by one lane after part of the retaining wall collapsed.
The Council called the representatives of the Suntrust Properties Inc., the Good Shepherd Convent, the barangay officials of Gibraltar and officials of concerned government agencies to shed light on the issues surrounding the construction of Suntrust 88, which was allegedly designed to incorporate 270 units.
Residents in the vicinity claimed that the development work apparently caused the partial collapse of the national road along that stretch and also the exposure of a sewage pipe, posing danger to the lives and health of motorists and residents and affecting neighboring property as well.
On May 11, the contractor was granted permission by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Baguio to fix a portion of the newly constructed toad at Gibraltar after the soil underneath eroded.
The road leads to one of the major tourist destinations of Baguio, the Mines View Park and the favorite food store of the Good Shepherd Convent, where visitors buy peanut brittle, strawberry jam among others.
In the council’s inquiry Monday, Suntrust Properties Inc. Vice President Basilio Almazan Jr. promised the councilors that his company will come up with solutions in repairing the road. Councilor Joel Alangsab said the developer can be given 45 to 60 days to repair the road as a requirement before resuming their construction of their building.
In a resolution earlier approved by the councilors, the developer is ordered to cease and desist from pursuing its project until such time that all issues and concerns related to the safety of the general public shall have been satisfactorily addressed by Suntrust Properties, Inc.
The closure will start once the mayor signs off on the legislative action.
Sister Guadalupe Bautista of Good Shepherd Convent said that, as long as safety measures and other requirements are complied with, there is no problem arising from the construction.
