Mayor wants residents in Maguikay evacuated

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes will have residents who are living in the danger zone of sitio Salvacion in barangay Maguikay along Butuanon river evacuated.

Three houses in the place could be in danger of being carried away by the strong current of the Butuanon river due to soil erosion.

Before lives are lost, Cortes wants barangay officials to act immediately.

He said he learned about the predicament the houses are in from barangay Maguikay captain Francis Tan.

Half of Edwin Alagasi's two-story house, which is situated along the bank of Butuanon River, was destroyed and fell to the bottom of the river.

The other two houses belong to Miriam Urot, 50, and Magdalena Velasco, 45.

Urot said she longed to leave the area but she and her family cannot do so because they have no place to go.

She has been living in the area for the past 16 years now.

Barangay Captain Francis Tan of barangay Maguikay has assigned an eco-warden at said place to watch for the residents and warned others who plan to erect houses on the riverbank.