Council stops eviction of NRA settlers

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has deferred the eviction of the fire victims temporarily living in Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area pending an emergency dialogue today with the affected residents.

Members of the Warwick Barracks Stall Owners and Livelihood Association yesterday sought the council’s intervention to stop the demolition of their temporary shelters. The residents, who are fire victims from Barangay Ermita, were earlier served with notice of eviction.

The residents are supposed to be part of those who were given permanent relocation in Barangay Budlaan. However, at least 93 families refused to relocate themselves arguing that they are earning a living in the city. Only 12 families have obliged to relocate in Budlaan.

Emalyn Aliviano, spokesperson of Kilusan, a non-government organization helping the fire victims, told the members of the council how the demolition incident Tuesday has breached the rights of the residents.

“They (PROBE team) were able to dismantle 20 tents with the absence of the occupants. The women and children were scared and traumatized with the presence of six SWAT officers and demolition team in full combat gears,” she said.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the committee on social services, said the matter could be resolved through proper dialogue and not by ‘force’.

“I can’t imagine the city government using the law, highly trained personnel, full force in a guerilla form to be used against the urban poor vendors…it can cause the lives of the people. Please, no need to use arms against these people,” Carillo pleaded.

Aliviano said the relocation site is not yet ready to be inhabited by over hundred families.

Councilor Alvin Dizon, council’s chairperson of the committee on housing, said the relocation site must be “livable, adequate and habitable” to the beneficiaries.

“It’s almost seven months, but the plight of our fire victims to attain justice is yet in limbo. This is becoming a matter of political discrimination,” Aliviano said, adding that they have tried to seek an audience with the mayor but they were not accommodated.

According to her, the city government should follow the provisions in Republic Act 7279 or the “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.”

Today’s dialogue with the committee on housing, committee on markets, Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, WABSOALAI, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, is set at 2 p.m.  at the office of Councilor Nestor Archival.—(FREEMAN)