Biz Buzz: Blitzkrieg

AFTER being thwarted from its attempt to conduct a referendum to open new gates in Ayala Alabang Village, the village association (AAVA) has gone beyond verbal debate and started tearing down the wall at San Jose Street (adjacent to the Filinvest complex) during the weekend amid pending opposition from homeowners near the area.

Prior to this, AAVA president Epifanio Joaquin issued this statement: “When we took on the responsibilities of governorship, one of the big issues put on our plates was resolving this decade-long quandary on whether to build new gates to alleviate the ever growing traffic around Ayala Alabang and provide residents with options to facilitate more expedient travel and logistical support in case of emergencies. We cannot in good faith ignore the fact that over 800 people filed a petition to open new gates.”

Following the demolition of the wall, eyewitnesses said Filinvest, whose adjacent property the barangay must purchase to build on the proposed gateway, in turn installed a steel gate on the other side.

Joaquin had declared that a referendum was not even needed but was nonetheless initiated to give residents “proper democratic platform to be heard” and so that AAVA could proceed with a “legitimate mandate to either deliver residents’ request for new gates or leave the village as it is based on the outcome of votes.”

One homeowner whose property is located beside the gate has filed a complaint at the Muntinlupa city government’s city building official. “We live very near the wall and we are totally unprepared for the security risks that our homes are being exposed to with this opening of the wall,” complainant Helen Macasaet said. “We were not informed at all of this move by our association,” adding that another demolition activity was likewise being done on the perimeter wall at the end of Champaca St. at the other side of the village. “We believe these demolition jobs are being undertaken without the approval of Ayala Land Inc., developer of Ayala Alabang Village,” she said.

With the bold move, AAVA has effectively challenged ALI’s hold as the village developer (it has required written approval from 75 percent of affected homeowners as a key condition to the opening of the gate and not just consent from the majority) in what could be a precedent-setting case. Doris Dumlao-Abadilla

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