Families complain of smaller lot share

CEBU, Philippines - More than five months after the fire that razed Barangay Lorega-San Miguel, Cebu City, the reblocking concerns of the affected families does not seem to have been resolved yet.

This after at least 20 families, who used to have bigger shares of lots before the fire incident, cried “unfair” after being granted now with smaller lots.

Dina Cabillon, member of the Lorega Homeowners’ Association, Inc., said her family used to have a 58-square meter lot before the fire happened, claiming that they already paid for it.

“Naa mi certificate nga naka-fully paid na mi and upat ka-families ang mag-occupy sa among lot, pero gi-allocate-an lang mi og 32 square meters after the fire,” she complained.

However, lawyer Collin Rossell, head of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said that while it is true that some of the families acquired a certificate of home lot allocation many years ago, the association was not able to fully pay the whole lot.

“Wala man ta’y makuha kon atong pagamyan. Ang atong gitan-aw diha is kaayohan sa kadaghanan nga naay dalan aron dili sila ma-trap,” Rossell said.

According to him, majority of the families agreed to the uniform allocation of lots.

“So with that nga nahimo og dalan, gusto siguro sila nga i-expropriate nato. Pero nganong i-expropriate nato nga dili pa man sila fully-paid? Bayran ba diay nimo ang tawo nga dili man siya ang tag-iya? Second, bisa’g naka-fully-paid siya, usa ra man ang contract, so collective ang agreement. Solidary liability man na’ siya kon sa balaud pa,” Rossell explained.

Rossell pointed out that they are just taking into consideration the construction of major and minor roads as a precautionary measure to provide firefighters easier access during future emergencies.

He further said that the city government has not yet even given sharers and renters part of the lots as there will be tendency that the owners will have smaller shares.

Last March 18, about 7,000 people were left homeless after a huge fire hit the area.

According to Rossel, the area was declared as a socialized housing site and as a city government-owned lot the city intends to divide the property equally to the residents.

“Naa pa gani’y 100-square meter lot owned by a certain family, but wala sila misupak because they saw the need to establish the road,” he said, adding that DWUP has conducted meetings and dialogues with the homeowner’s association informing them of the reblocking plan of the city government. — (FREEMAN)