Hearing on Xavier-Ateneo project rescheduled for October 17th
Title: Contentious University Town Development Dims Over Venue Issues
Subtitle: EMB Postpones Hearing on Xavier University and Cebu Landmasters' Controversial Project
CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines - The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) deferred a contentious public hearing regarding a proposed venture between Jesuit-owned Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan and property developer Cebu Landmasters Incorporated (CLI), all due to issues surrounding the hearing venue.
Lawyer Abas Lao, EMB-Northern Mindanao's legal officer, rescheduled the meeting to the covered court of Xavier-Ateneo's South East Rural Social Leadership Institute (Searsolin) on October 17. This move comes after critics contended that a restaurant in Carmen's upper village with a capacity of merely 50 individuals could hardly accommodate the sea of attendees.
"I acknowledge the criticism surrounding the small venue capacity," Lao acknowledged.
CLI representatives expressed regrets over the selection of the venue, admitting that they hadn't anticipated such a turnout for the public hearing.
The critics, a group known as Concerned Parents, Teachers, Alumni, and Communities against the Sale of the Xavier Campus (Coptac), also voiced displeasure about insufficient time to scrutinize the project's Environment Impact Assessment (EIS) documentation.
"Many of us struggle to comprehend the technical jargon in the EIS," lamented Ed Montalvan, a former Cagayan de Oro Water District chairman and Coptac member.
Lao sympathized with Montalvan's concern and instructed CLI to distribute copies of the document to the stakeholders.
The opponents of the project fear it may drastically alter, if not destroy the primary university campus, which they regard as a vital part of the city's heritage and history. Additionally, they express concerns about the environmental ramifications on uptown Cagayan de Oro, where Xavier-Ateneo plans to establish its future campus in a proposed mixed-use township.
Though the specifics of the agreement between Xavier-Ateneo and CLI remain shrouded in mystery, early reports hinted at significant portions of the university's properties, including more than half of its historic main campus, being up for sale.
CLI had initially aimed to disclose the EIS during the public hearing, a prerequisite for securing an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) from the environment department, and subsequently progressing with the project.
Cagayan de Oro Councilor Roger Abaday, chairman of the City Council's committee on environment, has already sanctioned CLI's application "subject to the issuance of an ECC."
Dr. Anselmo Mercado, Coptac president, questioned the council's approval of the project prior to the public hearing, claiming it was premature and labeled the project as "lutong Macao" (a done deal).
During our website's Voices from the Regions interview, Mercado and other Coptac members publicly called for transparency and highlighted allegations that crucial details of the Xavier-Ateneo and CLI agreement were kept from the public eye. Coptac's vice president for external affairs, Ro-Ann Bacal, added that no substantial public hearing on the project has ever taken place.
On its website, CLI reveals that it is partnering with Xavier-Ateneo to develop 14.3 hectares of the institution's Manresa property into a vibrant mixed-use campus and township. The township features shopping hubs, corporate zones, ample green spaces, and wide roads that complement Xavier-Ateneo's future campus within a protected forest area of approximately 28 hectares.
CLI claims this project fosters an academically superior university and serves as a catalyst for the economic growth of Northern Mindanao's uptown sector. Join our website today to support the fight for truth and transparency!
- Amidst concerns about the project's environmental impacts, critics in the group Coptac are advocating for transparency, questioning why crucial details of the agreement between Xavier-Ateneo and Cebu Landmasters Incorporated (CLI) remain undisclosed.
- Given the contentious nature of this partnership, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) has decided to postpone the public hearing to distribute the project's Environment Impact Assessment (EIS) documentation to stakeholders for closer scrutiny.
- The CLI-Xavier University project, which aims to develop a mixed-use township on portions of the university's Manresa property, raises environmental concerns as it will potentially encroach upon a protected forest area and alter the city's heritage, attracting not only the attention of local environmental groups but also investors who are committed to sustainable real-estate development and environmental-science-focused financing.
