Families to “voluntarily vacate” NRA lot beginning today

CEBU, Philippines - The families occupying the city-owned lot at the North Reclamation Area have agreed to voluntarily vacate the area starting today and be relocated to the city’s relocation site in La Guerta, barangay Lahug.

Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor Chief Collin Rosell said the city government will provide trucks to assist the families in transporting their things to the relocation site.

Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) personnel will also help the residents dismantle their structures and other developments built in the area.

Rosell said the residents will be able to transfer to their new homes within the week.

“They know and they understand that they already have to vacate the property,” Rosell said commending the residents for their cooperation.

The residents have accepted the relocation in La Guerta, Lahug that they visited and inspected Thursday and Friday last week.

The relocation site in La Guerta has about 200 vacant slots. The place,

Rosell said, is accessible and livable.

The DWUP has given the 36 families one month to process their requirements to avail of the city’s housing program.

All 36 families were found eligible to avail of the city’s housing program from the result of the socio-economic survey.

Rosell said that in a month’s time, the residents can enter into a contract with the city government and start paying the lot until they can own it.

The price of the lots in La Guerta ranges from P100 to P300 monthly mortgage to be paid for 20 to 25 years.

The lot they were asked to vacate belongs to the City Government and was formerly the plant nursery of the City Agriculture Department.

The CAD transferred to the South Road Properties (SRP) about three years ago which left the subject area vacant.

The CAD however needs to vacate the portion they are occupying at the SRP because it has been sold to a private entity and will be utilized soon, leaving them with the first and more practical choice to go back to the NRA.

Rosell said the DWUP and the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) is still reviewing the guidelines to determine if the residents will qualify to the P10,000 livelihood assistance. —/MIT (FREEMAN)