583 informal settlers face ejection cases

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — There are 583 illegal settlers in different barangays in this city who are now facing ejection cases from both private and government properties based on the latest record of the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO).

ICUPAO chief Wilfredo Jurilla said there were 45 illegal settlers in the properties owned by the families of Abad in Brgy. Ingore; 39 in the Jardeliza and Young properties in Brgy. Caingin; 91 in the Montinola properties in Brgy. Baldoza; and nine in Nabitasan—all in La Paz district of this city.

Forty-four others were in Brgy. South San Jose of Molo district, 16 in Arancillo property and two in Bolilao of Mandurriao district, and one more at Brgy. Sooc in Arevalo district.

Ten more illegal settlers are also found in the city proper, particularly in Brgy. President Roxas, 39 in the property owned by Philippine Port Authority along Melliza Street; and 19 in Cubay and four in Buntatala in Jaro district.

Jurilla said that, besides them, there are 264 informal settles from different barangays in the city who are also facing ejection cases due to road widening.

The present total number is a reduction from the previous 1,311, after 211 families were relocated from La Paz to the relocation site in Jaro district, following a court order last year. A total of 517 other illegal settlers were already moved to various relocation sites in the city, said Jurilla.

Jurilla said he was worried over the lack of available relocation sites for the other informal settlers, when the court issued an order to relocate them this year. The city government, however, has started buying lots for conversion into relocation sites, he said.

Apart from those families facing ejectment cases, Jurilla said more than 9,000 homeless families in this city are on the ICUPAO’s waitlist for availability of relocation sites. (FREEMAN)