Thursday, August 23, 2007 200 families face eviction
OVER 200 families in Barangay Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City are facing eviction amid the plan by business tycoon Lucio Tan to use his 40-hectare property for a community village fitted with two hotels, a supermarket and a department store.
Barangay Captain Angel Rodriguez admitted that Tan acquired the property that stretches in five sitios and nearly half of Punta Engano’s land area three years ago. But engineers and representatives from a Manila-based developer came last month to notify him about the intention of the businessman to use the property.
“I am a little bit worried, but I got the assurance of Congresswoman (Nerissa) Ruiz that she will help me on the problem,” Rodrigo said.
He said that before Tan starts the project, he will try to convince the businessman to help him develop a relocation site for the affected families.
The project is estimated to cost more than P1 billion. Although it will dislocate many families, Rodriguez welcomes it because it can turn Punta Engaño into a rich ba-rangay, like Barangays Poblacion, Basak and Pusok.
Benefits
“We will have more benefits on the economic side besides hindi naman namin pababayaan yong nga taong ma-dislocate (we will help those who will be evicted),” he said.
Punta Engaño is in the eastern tip of Lapu-Lapu and is among the low income earning barangays. Rodriguez, who is a strong political ally of former vice mayor Norma Patalinjug, has been serving the barangay for more than 10 years.
He said that with two hotels, a supermarket and department stores, tourists and local residents will no longer have to go to Pusok or Poblacion. (AIV)
