Cebu gov: No permit for structures within road easements

CEBU CITY: The provincial government will no longer allow structures to be constructed within the designed easements of national, provincial, city, and municipal roads. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said Thursday she ordered the strict implementation of Executive Order (EO) 11 series of 2024, which she signed on July 2, prohibiting the issuance of building permits within road easements. The order applies to all roads defined in EO 180 signed by the late president Elpidio Quirino on Oct. 2, 1948. '(The) Executive Order classifies roads as national, provincial, municipal, and city, each with specified minimum right-of-way (ROW),' she said. According to Quirino's EO, national roads require 20 meters minimum ROW, with increased widths for roads constructed through unpatented land or forested areas. It also requires 15-meter easement for the provincial, and 10 meters for municipal and city roads, with increased widths for principal streets of townsites located on public lands. Garcia cited Section 39 of Act 496 or the Land Registration Act, which recognizes public highways and ways as encumbrances on land titles. 'This encumbrance is consistently noted on certificates of titles issued by the Register of Deeds,' she added. She said constructing buildings and structures within public road easements causes significant obstruction and impedes road widening projects. The governor's order, which takes effect upon issuance on Tuesday, directed all mayors and their building officials to ensure strict compliance with the new policy. Source: Philippines News Agency