Antique government center project halted over permit issue

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The PHP1-billion Antique Government Center project in Brgy. Badiang has been suspended by the San Jose de Buenavista local government due to the absence of a building permit.

The Office of the Building Official issued a work stoppage order dated June 20, citing Section 301 of the National Building Code, or Presidential Decree No. 1096, effectively halting construction until full compliance is achieved.

A tarpaulin announcing the stoppage order was recently placed at the construction site.

The project, funded by the Antique provincial government under former Gov. Rhodora Cadiao, broke ground in April 2022.

It was planned as a three-building complex on a 6.4-hectare lot, intended to replace the existing 60-year-old capitol building.

The development has faced controversy due to claims that the project site remains classified as agricultural land.

San Jose de Buenavista zoning officer Engr. Jose Magbanua previously requested a cease-and-desist order, citing land classification issues, but the Department of Agrarian Reform Region 6 denied the request in December 2023.

Provincial Engineer Inocencio Dajao Jr. said the construction is already 50.3% complete and is targeted for completion by December 2025.

Dajao said he recommended suspending the construction to former Gov. Cadiao after receiving the order on June 20, but the former governor did not respond.

He added that newly elected Gov. Paolo Javier has not formally received the stoppage order but has been provided with the same recommendation, which is still under review.

He noted that the provincial government must issue an official directive to the contractor before construction can be formally halted.

“We are not defying the order, but our legal office is still studying it,” he said in an interview with Brigada Antique.

Dajao also said the provincial government’s zoning clearance is still pending with the National Irrigation Administration and the Department of Agriculture.

Without the zoning clearance, the San Jose de Buenavista local government cannot complete or approve the building permit application.