Residents told to vacate 2 lots beside hospital?

CEBU, Philippines - A good sleep may not be what 300 households living along B. Rodriguez St., barangay Sambag Dos would have as they have received Notices to Vacate the lot they are occupying.

Some families have been living in the place for more than 50 years.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is still on leave, said that this is a matter that he might have to refer to the Office of the President for assistance.

Barangay Sambag Dos Councilman Aurelio Jagmoc, who heads the Committee on Social Services, said the barangay and leaders of the Bidlisiw-Mansanitas Neighborhood Association (BIDMANA) have been regularly meeting after majority of the residents received a notice to vacate from the Rallos family.

The Rallos family claim to have won a court ruling that lots 482-A and 473-A under the name of the Department of Health, which were once part of the Southern Islands Hospital now the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, belong to them.

Jagmoc said that they are still to see a copy of the court ruling.

Last May, Jagmoc said around 50 percent of the occupants were able to receive the Notices to Vacate from the Ralloses and were surprised considering that they were not informed of any resolution from the court.

They inquired from DVSMMC officials, who told them they were also not informed of any resolution.

The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), Jagmoc said, already made a socio economic survey on some of them, a tool that the city can use for future action.

“Gusto gyud mi makigstorya sa mayor pero leave man siya, kay nabalaka na mi ani, gi-assure hinuon niya sa una nga wala gyuy mga dislocate,” Jagmoc said.

He said since the urban poor lawyer they hired died in 2005, they were no longer apprised of the case until the issuance of the Notices to Vacate.

“Ang nakapait pa gyud kay wala mi abogado sa pagkakaron, mao mudangop mi sa mayor,” Jagmoc said.

Osmeña for his part said, he recognized that there is a problem in the area.

“I wish I could enlighten them, the problem existed before. But this is a legal problem and I’m no lawyer, if the lawyers say I would get an endorsement from the President, then I will do that to help,” Osmeña said.

He advised that the group should go and take the matter to Cebu City Administrator Francisco Fernandez who is well-versed about matters regarding the urban poor or with Acting Mayor Michael Rama.

Rama said the door of his office is open and he will see if there are still legal remedies.

In the 1960s Southern Islands allowed its workers to build their houses in the area for convenience.

Most of the residents are descendants of the hospital workers. – Ferliza Contratista/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)