The long-delayed opening of the Gaisano Capital in Tugbok District may soon be realized as the City Council passed on final reading the reclassification of the 4,684 square meter land where the mall is built.
Legal issues caused the delay of the opening of the mall, owned by the city-based Taipan Development Inc. that runs at least 30 Gaisano Grand around the country, that was completed in 2017 after a year of construction.
On Tuesday, the city councilors agreed to grant the conversion of the prime property located along the national highway in Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok District from medium density residential subzone to major commercial zone.
“The Council has approved the reclassification and rezoning of the land occupied by a building owned by the Gaisano Capital,” Councilor Rene Elias Lopez of the Committee on Housing, Rural, and Urban Development told reporters covering the regular session yesterday.
According to Lopez, the reclassification signifies that the area of the said building is now properly zoned, hence, the Taipan Development Inc. can now apply for a business permit.
“After issuance of the business permit, they can now operate,” said Lopez.
The area is located within the Water Resource Zone hence, Lopez also mandated the firm to submit a water resource management council certificate.
“Mitigating measures are in place to ensure that they don’t interfere with the resource areas such as drilling,” said Lopez.
Lopez explained that they have approved the reclassification of the said building after its legal issues has been withdrawn.
“In the effort to have a win-win situation where we could help investors and at the same time protect the welfare of the people, the council sought this solution to help each other,” he said.
“The legal cases were resolved, hence, there were no more obstacles for the discussion especially the City Building Official’s case was dismissed by the court,” Lopez explained.
In 2017, the city government filed two suits against the Taipan Development for alleged violation of the National Building Code of the Philippines for building the mall without a permit and clearances and for violating the City’s Zoning Ordinance for building the mall in a medium density residential area and a water resource zone.
