"Sorry sa aking mga batang Proud Makatizens. Kasamaang paalad at pati ang MASA ay pinasara."
This was what Makati City Mayor Abby Binay said on Friday, March 8, to the Makatizen youth after Taguig City's closure of the Makati Aqua Sports Arena (MASA) in Barangay West Rembo following another series of incidents reigniting the rift between the two cities.
Makati Aqua Sports Arena (MASA) (Photo from Mayor Abby Binay)
According to the city government, around 4,400 Makatizen students are affected by the sudden closure of the facility by Taguig, stressing that this is not included in the closure order issued by the latter.
"Dahil dito ay naantala ang schedule ng 15 paaralan sa Makati na dapat ay may swimming lessons dito ngayong Marso at Abril. Bukod pa dito, ang mga estudyante ng University of Makati at HSU ay regular na may swimming classes sa nasabing pasilidad (Because of this, the swimming lessons of 15 schools in Makati for the months of March and April have been derailed. Aside from this, students of the University of Makati and HSU also hold regular swimming classes in the facility)," the local government said.
"Kinokondena ng Makati ang patuloy na pangangamkam ng Taguig ng mga private properties nito. Paglilinaw ng alkalde, hindi naman ito sakop ng desisyon ng Supreme Court tungkol sa territorial boundaries ng Taguig at Makati (Makati City condemns Taguig's continuous land-grabbing of its private properties. The mayor clarified that these are not included in the Supreme Court's decision regarding the territorial boundaries of Taguig and Makati)," it added.
On March 1, Makati City slammed Taguig City for "forcibly" entering the Makati Park and Garden located in Barangay West Rembo.
According to initial reports, members of Taguig Traffic Management Office (TMO) tried to "forcibly" enter the park. However, the park's security guards and personnel of the Makati Public Safety Department (PSD) barred them.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2024/3/1/makati-city-slams-taguig-s-move-to-forcibly-enter-makati-park-and-garden
In a separate incident on March 3, personnel of Taguig City reportedly locked the gates of Makati Park and Garden while there were still Makati employees inside. It also served a closure order on Makati Park for not having a business permit.
According to the Makati City government, Taguig's Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) personnel began massing up in front of the park and started to lock its gate.
In an earlier statement, Makati called out Taguig for its "childish, arrogant, and reckless actions" which can gravely undermine the ongoing efforts of the national government to attract foreign investments.
“Papaano magiging panatag at tiwala sa kanilang kaligtasan ang foreign investors kung ang isang pamahalaang lokal sa Metro Manila ay walang pakundangan sa paglabag sa batas at hindi gumagalang sa ligal ng proseso?,” it further stated. (How can foreign investors feel secure and protected when a local government in Metro Manila can behave with little regard for the law and the legal process)," the city government said.
Makati also reiterated its call on the concerned national agencies to censure Taguig for its actions.
"Ang Taguig ay isang bully. Inaangkin nila ang hindi sa kanila. At binabaluktot nila ang batas at gumagamit ng dahas para mangamkam ng pag-aari ng iba (Taguig is a bully. They claim what is not theirs. They twist the law and use force to seize properties owned by another)," it explained.