Bigger houses first to go City issues notices of demolition

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Hall’s Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor (DWUP) has already started issuing notices of violations against the illegal occupants of the City’s housing sites in barangay Budlaan, directing them to personally demolish their houses.

DWUP Chief Collin Rosell said he issued notices of violations to the owners of five big houses - Ma. Feliza Llena, Lilibeth Doria, Charlotte Apawan, Precious Doria and Ma. Theresa Cariego.

“Giuna lang usa nato ang mga dakong balay pero isunod nato nga padad-an ug notices of violation ang ubang mga illegal occupants,” said Rosell in a telephone interview with The FREEMAN yesterday. (We are targeting first the huge houses but we will certainly issue notices to the rest of the illegal occupants.)

The officials and members of the HOPE Homeowners Association in sitio Tac-an, Budlaan had sent a letter to the City Council, through Councilor Alvin Dizon, asking for assistance after they received the letter from Rosell.

Michael Alvarez, who claimed to be the president of the homeowners’ association, said there are 154 families occupying the city’s housing sites in sitio Tac-an, Budlaan. But Rosell said DWUP does not have documents to prove that their stay in that area is legal.

The City Council decided to endorse the letter of Alvarez to the Local Housing Board for further investigation and recommendation.

“Ako gipa-endorse sa Local Housing Board ang ilang problema for appropriate action. My stand on it is that the informal settlers should not be faulted. Dunay administrative lapses ang DWUP mao nga wala pa mahuman ang ilang memorandum of agreement with the city,” said Dizon.

The residents were afraid after five of their neighbors received letters from Rosell giving them only 10 days to demolish their structures.

Rosell said City Ordinance 1481 states: “Failure or refusal to remove or demolish the illegal structure within the period shall automatically authorize the government of the City of Cebu to demolish the same.”

The City has several parcels of lots that were bought during the stint of then mayor Alvin Garcia for the city’s housing sites, but because these were not used in the past years, the lots are being occupied by the squatters. — (FREEMAN)