Mandaue to knock down 48 houses near Mahiga creek

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue city legal office will demolish Monday 48 houses near the Mahiga creek in sitio Oril in barangay Banilad, Mandaue City.

Notices of demolition had been sent by the Housing Urban and Development Office to the affected families.

Twenty-six of these families will be relocated to the 6.5-hectare relocation site in barangay Paknaan while the rest will receive financial assistance from the city government, which is equivalent to two months minimum pay of an ordinary worker.

The financial assistance will be given to them only if they voluntarily demolish their houses.

The city’s anti-squatting team which is under the city legal office will enforce the demolition.

Invited to witness the demolition are representatives from the Philippine Commission on Urban Poor and Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

City Legal Officer Giovanni Tianero said the demolition will be undertaken in a humane manner.

The police will be on hand in case violence erupts.

Tianero said the Paknaan relocation site is now fully occupied.  (FREEMAN)