78 families can stay at private lot in NRA until next month

CEBU, Philippines - At least 78 families living in Sitio Panaghiusa at the North Reclamation Area in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City were spared from the court’s order to have their houses demolished after Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella intervened.

Labella visited the area personally and appealed to the private lot owners to give the city government ample time to find and develop the relocation site for the families.

The court sheriff was reportedly hesitant at first to accommodate Labella’s request.

“Unya ingon ang sheriff nga mohunong lang mi kung ang mga tag-iya ang moingon nga hunongon. Mao lang gyod akong hangyo sa mga sheriff bisan tuod naa ninyo ang authority duna moy gahom sa pagbungkag o pag-demolish pero tagai lang ko og dyutay nga panahon nga makig-istorya sa tag-iya,” Labella added.

He said his meeting with Land Traders World, the owner of the lot, lasted up to two hours because the decision to grant the city’s request had to come from the company’s Board of Directors.

“Nadugay mi, miabot og two hours kay ang atong request gi-present paman sa board of directors sa Land Traders World, didto gyud mi naghuwat samtang nag-meeting ang board,” Labella said.

The company had rejected the city’s first request of deferring the demolition for eight months, as well as the second request to demolish the houses only after Christmas.

The last request, which the company eventually heeded, was to enforce the demolition only on November 30, instead.

Labella said the Municipal Trial Court in Cities has already issued writ of execution last year.

He said the affected families have agreed to vacate the area voluntarily on or before November 30.

Aiming to include the families in the city’s socialized housing program, Labella asked the city’s Department for the Welfare of the Urban Poor to prepare the relocation site that fits the needs of the affected families.

He said DWUP is initially eyeing at relocating the families in Barangay Talamban, where the city owns a property for families affected by fire or demolition.

“Di na ma-compel ang owners to provide relocation for the families kay dugay na sila nagpuyo diha for the last five years wa silay abang-abang,” he added. — Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/JMO (FREEMAN)