Aid to families affected by bridge in Guadalupe get city council nod

CEBU, Philippines - Families affected by the construction of a bridge that would connect the city’s north and south districts via barangay Guadalupe will soon get financial assistance from the city after the city council approved the P190-million supplemental budget III, which contains the P600,000 appropriation for the financial assistance.

Councilor Jose Daluz III said the assistance to the eight affected families will be processed by the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor and will be done in two installments before and after houses of the affected families is demolished. 

Engr. Danilo Gabiana of DWUP said a Memorandum of Agreement, which would stipulate the mode of granting the financial assistance will also be signed by the city and the affected families after which an authority approval will be issued by Vice Mayor Michael Rama.

The eight structures affected by the construction of the bridge are located at the Singson Subdivision in barangay Guadalupe. The two other properties affected by the project are owned by the Binghay and Bacalla families but the city is still finalizing its action on these properties.

Daluz said the project started in 2001 through funds amounting to P20 million from North District Rep. Raul del Mar but implementation was stalled due to issues of properties affected by the construction.  The remaining P2 million of the funds would reportedly be used to construct the access road.

The financial assistance to the affected families is in lieu of a relocation site, Daluz said.

Daluz said he only assumed with the implementation of the project when he became city councilor and would do his best to finish the project before his term ends next year.

The bridge is intended to shorten the travel time from barangay Guadalupe to barangay Lahug, and vice-versa, as motorists no longer need to pass through Escario St. — Crischellyn Abayon and Queennie Kuebler, UP- Cebu MassCom Interns/JMO