“BLUERES ISSUE CONTINUES TO HEAT UP, PULSE OF STUDENTS SOUGHT”

History of BlueRes

By 2014, a towering figure almost twice the size of its neighboring buildings will rise beside the Ateneo de Manila University; it is the Blue Residences of SM development center. The Blue Residences showcases condominiums that can accommodate a single or two bedroom rooms. It is an ideal place for students because it is just beside schools like the Ateneo, Miriam, and with just a jeep ride away, to UP. It is also supposedly great for young small families. It’s location, mentioned by their website, supposedly is very ideal because it is near schools and the LRT2 station is just across the street from it. The building has up to 41 floors with a swimming pool on the 7^th floor. A typical room has a living and dining area that are 600by 600. The Toilet and bath is 200x200. It has a bedroom that is 600 by 600 and a balcony. From what is being offered by SM, these rooms are perfect for a student.

 Though good intentions may come from the SM development corporations, at which they have tagged themselves as “the good guys”, it has supposedly violated zoning regulations within the community and failed to follow due processes for its construction. But how did this happen in the first place? 

The conspiracy began when SM was quickly granted an exemption from the zoning regulations, which states that buildings to be constructed should follow a height limit. However, their building was granted almost double of the prescribed limit. The question that pondered the minds of the Ateneans was: “Why should the request for exemption be granted? This should be explained based on the guidelines specified on the ordinance.” They continually hounded SM during their meetings for answers but SM took it to their lawyers and repeatedly stated that they complied with the processes but official documents are yet to be found in any office within city hall. They also lacked official documents that formally stated that they have consulted within the Loyola Heights Barangay and the community around them. While Ateneo persisted SM with showing the official documentation of the exemption, they continue to prolong the issue and mention that they still are in the process of the acquisition of documents. When stakeholders from the community voiced their concerns towards the lack of consultation from SM, their only answer was them mentioning the benefits of the Blue Residences while avoiding more important issues such as the traffic and environmental problems. Realizing that they communication with SM was a long shot, Ateneo asked the Quezon City Authority to stop the construction through a “Cease and Desist” order to show that they are on their side but to no avail. The next option presented to them was to file a case against the Quezon City Council instead because the exemption was approved and passed under suspended rules, without complying with the regular legislative procedures of the City Council. There were no justifiable grounds for granting it and in doing so, they granted certain privileges and benefits to SM Development Corporation which they are not entitled to.

Update: Ombudsman Filing

                Last December 14 2011, the representatives of the Loyola Heights Community (Ateneo de Manila University, Sanggunian ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila, La Vista Association Inc., Varsity Hills Homeowners Association, Villa Aurora Townhomes Homeowners Association Inc. and Xaverville II Homeowners Association, Inc.) went to the Office of the Ombudsman to file a graft case against the 17^th Quezon City Council and the building officials. This is in line with the exemption grant given to SM to build a 42-storey rise in one day without any consultation from the community. Moreover, the grant was decided upon suspended rules without giving any reason why the exemption was given.

Atty. Giovanni Vallente reiterated that the complainants are fighting for good governance, “we are not totally against the construction, what we are against is that they are not complying with the ordinance and the building rules. Essentially, all we want is for them to comply with it.”

Moses Albiento (Junior Central Board Representative, School of Social Sciences, Ateneo de Manila University), Atty. Giovanni Vallente and … pose for the media waiting at the Office of the Ombudsman.

                        A few months after the rally for good governance (August 12, 2011 at Ateneo de Manila gate 2.5), tarpaulins were posted along the Katipunan road asking the councilors to revoke the exemption. The Loyola Heights Community did not stop from there.

                        “We were actually engaging them in a conversation hoping that they will comply. Unfortunately, all our efforts have fallen on deaf ears. In fact, those of you who pass Katipunan must have seen a lot of our tarps asking our councilors to revoke the exemption. […] It has been a long time that we tend to engage them but when we felt that nothing’s gonna happen, then we took the next step. In fact, before the filing of this case, we actually sent demand letters to the councilors requesting them to, if possible, revoke the ordinance. Unfortunately, not even one of them responded to our letter. “

The signatories together with Atty. Giovanni Vallente

The signatories, Atty. Giovanni Vallente, Arch. Jose Arnulfo Batac (Director for Facilities Management of the Ateneo) and the Sanggu officers

This is just the beginning of a new chapter to this controversial issue regarding SM Blue. This just shows how serious the Loyola Heights Community are in their fight for good governance.

THE ATENEAN PULSE

The Steak Library did an independent study to get Atenean’s opinions on the BlueRes issue. The study was done in aims to determine how your average Atenean student is involved with the issue.

After asking how the BlueRes issue affects Ateneans, they were asked to reason out their answers. The top answers are as follows:

The percentage of uninformed Ateneans state that they just haven’t been hearing much about the issue.

Of those affected by the BlueRes Issue, many have reasoned traffic as their top concern and only some have considered the earthquake danger as a reason for being affected. What’s bothering is that Ateneans’ concern for heavier traffic if BlueRes gets built is much greater than their concern for the violation of principle in the process of building BlueRes.

For those who are not affected by the BlueRes issue, many have expressed indifference and helplessness towards the issue. The top answers of indifference are attributed to having someone else doing the fighting for them (Sanggu, Ateneo, LH Community) and the respondents having graduated already when BlueRes is built. Many also feel that the LH Community is helpless against SM and the government.

HAVE ATENEANS NO CARE?

In the study conducted, 27% are still uninformed of the BlueRes Issue, 43% feel that the issue does not affect them and only 30% feel that BlueRes will have an impact in their lives. By transition, only 30% feel the heat of the issue and effectively, 70% are indifferent to it.

It saddens the researchers to know that a lot of those unaffected by the Blue Residences issue are very much indifferent, a bunch even attributing their indifference to “I’ll have graduated anyway when it’s done.” What’s even more dispiriting is that of the ones who feel affected, a lot have expressed heavier traffic along Katipunan as their major cause for being affected.

So, have Ateneans lain off principle in favor of more shallow reasons? Does Katipunan traffic affect the students more than the violation of our rights? Does “graduating anyway” justify not caring about a large-scale construction just beside our school?

FIGHTING A DESPERATE BATTLE

Joben Odulio, 2^nd Year SOM Central Board Representative and a Sanggu officer working on the BlueRes issue, said in an interview:

“We have been trying really hard to fight for this. We can’t just let ourselves be stepped on. But the thing is, konti lang kami. Walang strength in numbers. We can lobby all we want but we are a small party with no money and minimal influence. Compared to the government and SM, maliit lang tayo. Mahirap talaga, but it’s the principle were fighting for. If we continue to let this through, effectively, we’ve allowed corruption to happen.”

BlueRes is an issue that should affect us all. Not as Ateneans anymore, no. But as citizens of our country, it is our duty, all of our duties, to fight for democracy and good governance in the Philippines. If SM Blue Residences is successfully built, what’s preventing anyone from bypassing the system anymore? What will prevent this from happening again? Not only here in Katipunan but in the rest of the Philippines. Hopefully, this battle of David vs. Goliath will turn out well and prove that there is still principle in our government.