11 illegal structures at Pier 4 demolished

Eleven more of the illegal structures at Pier 4 of the Cebu Ports Authority were demolished yesterday, in line with the beautification program of the area.

Gerry Marquez, city consultant of the urban poor, said the occupants there that were mostly vendors did not resist the demolition and accepted the P20,000 in financial assistance from the CPA.

"Lipay lang sab ta nga walay samok ug gani ang sila ra ang boluntaryo niguba sa ilang mga structure," said Marquez who supervised the demolition of the structures, after a series of meeting between the occupants and the CPA.

Marquez said the demolition was meant to clean the area up. "Gamiton na man gyud ang sidewalk unya koralon sab ni sa taga CPA next week mao nga limpyohon gyud ni siya sa mga illegal structures," he said.

Before the Asean Summit last January, the CPA and the city government demolished 356 in the area and gave P20,000 in cash to each of the evicted occupants.

The CPA also confiscated 250 trisikads and gave in return P7,000 to each of the trisikad operators and drivers.

Marquez said the CPA had already given a total of P9.9 million in financial aid to these illegal occupants in the place.

He added that, by next week, they will negotiate with another 350 family-occupants at Pier 5 to vacate the place in exchange for P20,000 in cash.

"Hopefully mga March makasugod nata paglimpyo sa Pier 5 area. Daghang gyud na sila pero ang CPA will set aside a budget para nila malimpyo na gyud ang pier area," Marquez said. - Ramil V. Ayuman/RAE