Saturday, October 14, 2006 Tom cancels order for Pasil demolition
CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña canceled the demolition order issued by Vice Mayor Michael Rama against 79 families in Barangay Pasil, saying he wanted to see the situation first.
Osmeña directed the City Attorney’s Office to check on each structure and affected family and, whatever decision is arrived at, he will implement it on a case-to-case basis.
In time, however, the houses should go because they are built along or over the Guadalupe River, posing danger to the occupants especially during rainy season when the river overflows.
Rama, as head of the Coastline Management Board, gave the residents 10 days to clear the area in Pasil, prompting several of them to troop to the mayor’s office yesterday to complain.
The mayor promised the residents that no demolition will be made without any consultation.
Questions
“The demolition order is not going to be implemented. In short, the demolition order that he (Rama) issued that they (the houses) will be demolished in 10 days is canceled,” he said.
Osmeña also wants to know when the residents illegally settled in Pasil, and whether their children are attending classes.
“Are their children in school? And will they be affected?” he said, adding that he does not want to disrupt their schooling.
And while the City is concerned with the numerous homes encroaching into rivers and waterways, the mayor also raised a future problem for south district residents.
He said the owners of a 180-hectare lot from Barangay Tisa to the Guadalupe Church that encompasses the mountain ridge in the area will develop the property.
“It will pose a great risk because it will be done in a conventional system of development where they will build a drainage system up there and it will overload the south,” he said.
Osmeña was concerned because the drainage in the low-lying areas will most likely overflow because of better drainage in the said property once it is developed.
According to a City Disaster Coordinating Council list, 1,693 houses should be demolished in the north district because they encroached into and block the flow of rivers and creeks.
Topping the list is Barangay Mabolo with 238, followed by Sitio Laguerta in Barangay Lahug with 174; Camputhaw, 144; Banilad, 133; Tinago and Pahina Central, 128. Other houses are in Talamban, six; Bacayan, 59; Capitol Site, 69; Calamba, 82; Carreta, 64; Sambag II, 82; Ermita, 43; Apas, 19; Tejero, 78; Lorega, 45; Sambag 165; Kasambagan, 33; T. Padilla, 54; and San Jose, eight.
For the south district, 960 houses were also recommended for demolition.
Most are in Barangays Buhisan with 162; Inayawan, 124; Bulacao, 111; Guadalupe, 96; Duljo-Fatima, 81; Pasil, 79; Tisa, 77; Kalunasan, 51; Sapangdaku, 46; Labangon, 37; San Nicolas Proper, 32; Duljo-Fatima, 28; Pahina San Nicolas, 19; and Punta Princesa, 17. (RHM)
