Despite financial aid: Cordova council opposes Badjaos' transfer to Tonggo

The financial assistance extended by the Cebu City government to Cordova town failed to convince members of the municipal council to accept the transfer of around 300 Badjaos, from sitios Naba-Alaska and Puntod-Alaska in barangay Mambaling, Cebu City to the seven-hectare Tonggo Island in the town.

In last Tuesday's regular session of the municipal council, Vice Mayor Danilo Sinugbuhan and majority of the council members reiterated their negative stand to the transfer of Badjaos to Tonggo Island.

Those who opposed the move expressed fears that the presence of the Badjaos in Cordova will create more problems to the peace and order situation of the area.

Sinugbuhan said that they already made a recommendation and included this to the Memorandum of Agreement.

Although, Mayor Arleigh Sitoy supported the transfer of the Badjaos, he stressed during the consultation last year that the choice of Tonggo Island as relocation site was the idea of the National Commission on Indigenous People.

But some members of the municipal council suspected that Sitoy made an agreement with Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Osmeña announced the city government will give projects to Cordova town worth P9 million, and that the P2-million financial assistance promised by the city will be used for the construction of a wharf at the islet barangay of Gilutungan.

Osmeña said the projects worth P9 million will be identified by the members of the municipal council. But Sinugbuhan and the members of the council said they were informed of the financial assistance from the Cebu City government only through the newspaper.

They also cited the 30 sodium lamps donated by Cebu City government to the town were reportedly already installed in different barangays when the municipal council was asked to approve a resolution accepting the donation.

Sinugbuhan said that they welcomed the financial assistance from the city, but it should not be used in exchange for the transfer of the Badjaos. - Jose P. Sollano