Rama orders relocation of sitio Dakit residents

CEBU - Sixteen families affected by the recent flashfloods at sitio Dakit, barangay Guadalupe were ordered to vacate the area yesterday and transfer to a relocation site the city has prepared.

Acting City Mayor Michael Rama in his order stated that based on the findings of the City Planning and Development Office, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council, the area where the 16 families are now occupying is a natural waterway.

The order, Rama said, is issued in view of the deficiency and of sheer guarantee that safety and security can be extended to the residents affected by the recent flash floods in the area.

“To avert possible loss of lives and destruction to properties, the CCDCC, barangay Guadalupe and the concerned agencies are hereby directed to immediately implement this order by all means necessary,” the order read.

The Office of the City Engineer, Office of the Building Official and the City Planning Office were also directed to monitor on a daily basis and make a report on the construction of mitigating structures of the Monterrazas development.

City Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of CCDCC said the residents will be relocated to sitio Mahayahay in barangay Guadalupe wherein they will be provided with a tent that looks like a house.

But Carillo said that they are also asking Landco Pacific Corporation to construct a pre-fabricated housing for them.

Guadalupe barangay captian Eugenio Faelnar said that he will also inquire from the developer the terms for payment in case the affected residents want to avail of low cost housing in the site.

Carillo said that the city government will be the one to provide food assistance to the affected residents for one week until they are fully settled.

Aside from this, the city government will also provide water and electricity connection and portable toilets.

Once the affected residents are in place, Carillo said that the entire area will be cordoned and any construction will be strictly prohibited.

It maybe recalled Mayor Tomas Osmeña revoked the development permit of Landco last April 2008.

Landco was then instructed by the city to take steps like the construction of concrete walls that will work like a pond to retain the water during heavy rains and to prevent flooding in lower areas.

This after the houses of about 12 residents in sitio Dakit, Guadalupe was buried with mud and flood waters reportedly coming from the development site during a heavy downpour.

The residents, who are considered as informal settlers or squatters in that place blamed the developer of the subdivision project in the hills of their barangay for their woes, but Landco officials denied that they are the ones that caused the recent flooding.

Landco is the developer of the 200-hectare Monterrazas de Cebu located the hills of sitio Banawa, barangay Guadalupe, Punta Princesa, Tisa and Labangon.

Landco’s development permit is still under suspension by the city government. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)