THE Morning Mist Village Home Owners Association in Upper Carmen has sent an open letter to Barangay Carmen Chairman Raineir Joaquin ‘Kikang’ Uy regarding the barangay's stance on the proposed Masterson Mile North project, which the group has dubbed the ‘Pueblo Towers of Darkness.’
The P13.5 billion project by Pueblo de Oro Development Corp. consists of five mixed-use high-rise towers featuring high-end condominiums.
While proponents say the project will spur economic growth, the association argues it will negatively affect not only its residents but also the environment, worsen traffic congestion, and exacerbate issues with water supply, drainage, and flooding along the highway.
“Tanan ga agi sa Mastersons Avenue ma apektohan sa Pueblo de Oro Towers of Darkness,” Arthur Aranas, president of the Morning Mist Village Home Owners Association, said in an interview.
Repeated messages from Gold Star Daily to both the Barangay Carmen Facebook page and Chairman Raineir Joaquin ‘Kikang’ Uy have gone unanswered.
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“We are not against the building but we are against unplanned urbanization. Plus the proposed building sits on the original subdivision plan of Morning Mist Village,” Aranas said.
In the open letter, Aranas wrote that Uy told him there was no need to issue a Resolution Interposing No Objection, citing the “Ease of Doing Business” directive from the Cagayan de Oro local government.
However, officials from the City Planning and Development Office and the Office of the Building Officials said a Resolution Interposing No Objection is still a requirement for building projects in the city.
Aranas said Barangay Carmen councilors Kristian Dale L. Dabatian and Homero Castro claimed the council had previously discussed the project. Aranas has requested the minutes of the meeting to clarify where the officials stand.
For years, the homeowners association, led by Aranas, has openly opposed the project and has the support of the Federation of Uptown Villages and Home Owners Association.
“The Morning Mist Village Home Owners Association is not against progress. It believes that any development must be preceded by establishment of infrastructure needed to support such development, not make the development and bahala na si batman,” Aranas stated in an April 2023.
The association also sent a similar letter to the Department of Interior and Local Government-Region 10, seeking intervention from the DILG.
“Despite having submitted numerous letters to Barangay Carmen since 2023, clearly manifesting our opposition, we have yet to receive any formal response,” the letter reads in part.
The letter stated the homeowners association had not been invited to present its position before the Barangay Council. It continued that the silence raised serious concerns that the community’s opposition was being dismissed, sidelined, or deliberately ignored, potentially paving the way for the issuance of a Barangay Certificate or Resolution of No Objection without due consultation.
