Cebu City Hall patches up row between condo homeowners, developer

Local

THE Cebu City Government has intervened in an escalating dispute between condominium homeowners and their developer after power was cut off in three residential buildings due to unpaid electricity bills.

At least 30 homeowners from Grand San Marino Residences, Corinthian Residences, and Royal Garden Residences sought the help of Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia after experiencing power outages despite having reportedly paid their dues.

The issue stemmed from the developer, Landtraders World Properties Corporation, allegedly failing to pay millions of pesos in outstanding electricity bills to Visayan Electric.

During a meeting with Garcia on Tuesday February 25, it was discovered that the three condominiums share a single electric meter under a bulk billing scheme, with individual submeters tracking consumption.

Homeowners revealed that they remitted their payments to the developer, but power was still disconnected.

According to reports, Grand San Marino Residences had an unpaid bill of P3.1 million, while Corinthian Residences owed around P900,000.

The exact amount owed by Royal Garden Residences was not disclosed. The power disconnection affected over 392 units in Grand San Marino and 270 in Corinthian.

Garcia immediately directed the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to investigate the properties for compliance with necessary city permits.

During a press conference after the meeting, Garcia announced that a resolution had been reached in which the Visayan Electric agreed to install individual meters for each unit instead of maintaining a single meter for the entire building.

The mayor also appealed to Visayan Electric to reconnect power while the transition to individual meters was underway.

Engr. r Juan Miguel Exaltacion, Revenue Management Head of Visayan Electric, confirmed that the company would provide assistance to homeowners in applying for the new metering system.

However, they would first need to assess the technical setup of the buildings.

“Nalipay nalang kaayo ko, then ni cooperate pag ayo ang VECO, mao ng nagpasalamat gyud ko pag ayo sa VECO, they are really our partners in the City of Cebu,” Garcia said.

Visayan Electric’s legal affairs head, Ernie Villarin, noted that homeowners must provide proof of ownership, such as a tax declaration, deed of sale, or contract to sell, to apply for individual meters.

However, homeowners claimed that Landtraders only issued them certificates of ownership and appreciation.

In response, Villarin said the company would require Landtraders to notarize the certificates.

Landtraders, for its part, acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the power outage but clarified that since the projects had been turned over to condominium corporations, management responsibilities no longer fell under the developer’s scope.

“Landtraders World Properties Corporation went the extra mile by advancing payments for the developers’ bills of its unsold units. This assistance was provided to ensure uninterrupted operational services. However, as much as we want to continue offering this level of support, our diminishing inventory limits our ability to sustain these advances,” the company said in a statement.

Garcia, addressing the concerns, warned Landtraders to comply with city regulations and ensure proper management of their properties.

“Remember, do not fight City Hall. We hold so many things… your business permit, building permits, occupancy permits. Everything is under City Hall,” he told the developer’s legal counsel, Nel Villena.

Garcia emphasized that while condominiums are privately owned, the welfare of homeowners falls under the city’s jurisdiction.

The city government is awaiting the results of the OBO’s investigation to determine whether Landtraders could face legal consequences for the ongoing issues.

Garcia also reiterated his call for developers to ensure their properties are properly managed to prevent similar problems.

As homeowners await the installation of individual meters, the Cebu City Government continues to monitor the situation, with further meetings planned between the mayor and Landtraders to resolve the crisis.(MyTVCebu)