No demolition of illegal structures until January

CEBU, Philippines — Illegal settlers in Cebu City can now heave a sigh of relief as their houses will not be demolished until next year.

In the spirit of Christmas, the city government gave over a hundred households encroaching on the city’s waterways until January 4 to voluntarily demolish their structures.

Aside from that, the city government led by Mayor Edgardo Labella also gave financial assistance to the affected informal settlers living within the three-meter easement of waterways.

Each family received P24,000.

The release of the financial assistance to the informal settlers at Plaza Independencia was witnessed by Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Donaldo Hontiveros.

Ten households, however, did not accept the financial assistance in lieu of another relocation site in Quiot, Pardo.

Majority of the informal settlers who promised voluntary clearing of their illegal structures are from Barangay Tinago with 48 households, 22 from Barangay Tejero, 20 from Barangay Pasil and 18 from Barangay Mambaling.

Councilor Jerry Gaurdo, the chairman of the City Council’s committee on infrastructure, said Labella himself asked the Department of Public Works and Highway to assist the families in clearing the structures on January 4. — KQD (FREEMAN)