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CEBU CITY, Philippines - A P5-million public park will rise in the empty lot in Barangay (village) Looc, Mandaue City, which used to be the object of legal wrangling between Norkis Trading Company Inc. and the city government.
Norkis unveiled its plans on Monday in a ceremony that followed a compromise reached by both sides.
The company will drop its case against City Hall and its former officials for alleged violations committed in the lease contract for the lot.
In turn, the Mandaue city government will allow Norkis to continue its 25-year-lease with two more years added.
?There will be no politics. There will be no adversaries. There will be no enemies,? said Norkis founder and patriarch Norberto Quisumbing in his speech during the unveiling ceremonies.
Norkis project director Manuel Mercado said the development of the e 11,432 square-meter lot would cost P4 million to P5 million. Construction will start next year.
In Phase one, a stage and function room will be built. A sports and historical section containing memorabilia of Cebu?s prominent personalities will follow with phase two.
Phase three will add an outdoor meditation and exercise area and children?s playground. A food court and an ?angry wall? for people to ?express? themselves will be added in phase four, Mercado said.
Mayor Jonas Cortes said the project was a blessing for Mandaue City since the park will be available for those who can?t afford to roam around expensive malls.
While most of the park is open to the public, some facilities will be for rent.
Monday?s ceremony brought together political rivals Mayor Cortes and Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu, 6th district), who sat beside each other during the one-hour program. Both officials are vying to be mayor of Mandaue in the 2010 elections.
Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna, also of the opposition, sat beside Ruiz.
Norkis leased the land from Mandaue City in 1993 with a plan to develop a park. The 25-year lease would end in 2018.
In 2006, then Mayor Thadeo Ouano took over the property, accusing Norkis of lease violations like operating a display center for its vehicles instead of developing a park.
Norkis filed cases against Ouano and other city officials for their actions.
When Cortes took over City Hall in 2007, new negotiations were opened.
The city government said it would allow Norkis to resume its lease of the lot, plus two more years to compensate for the time Ouano took over the lot, if Norkis dropped its lawsuit and developed the lot into a park.
Cortes is an ally of Quisumbing?s grandson Luigi, who ran for congressman for the 6th district in 2007, but lost to Ruiz.
?In consultation with the City of Mandaue, Norkis will have the exclusive right to name the public park,? the draft agreement read.
?The parties further agree that Norkis will continue to have exclusive right to manage, operate and maintain, by itself or jointly with others at Norkis? option, the facilities on the lot or the public park.?
Norkis also has the right to collect fees to pay for electricity, water, and other maintenance expenses of the park.
The city government, however, may use the park free of charge for official activities.
?More importantly, this public park, as the name suggests, is open for any use to the public, subject to certain conditions,? read the draft agreement.
