Thursday, March 20, 2008
Residents' claim likely to delay housing project
THE head of the umbrella group of 63 different urban poor associations said the Lapu-Lapu City Government’s plan to build a 24-hectare socialized housing project in the offshore lands of Barangay Canjulao is blocked by questions over ownership of the proposed site.
Erlinda Beduya of the Federation of Lapu-Lapu City Urban Poor Associations said each private claim is supported with a tax declaration, which only the court can nullify.
“I cannot understand how they were able to (get a tax declaration for) the area, even if there is water,” she said.
Unaware
She said she doubts if the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which issues permit for the titling or tax declaration, knows about the problem.
The area, which is beside the Naval Forces Central headquarters, was picked during the first term of the late mayor Ernest Weigel Jr. in 1992 to solve the growing problem of squatters migrating into the city.
When Mayor Arturo Radaza took over in 2002, he wanted to reclaim the area for the City. But lack of funds and private ownership claims held him back.
According to the City’s 2006 State of Local Government Report, of 45,845 households in Lapu-Lapu City, 8.16 percent or over 3,763 of them are squatters.
However, the figure does not mean the City Government has neglected the problem.
Lots awarded
In 2006, it awarded 277 families with lots the City purchased and developed in different barangays, the report said.
Radaza had earlier emphasized that acquisition and development of a housing site depend on the financial capability of the City.
He added that the squatters issue is only one of the many problems the City is trying to contain.
Last year, 1,000 families migrated to the city because of their work at the Mactan Economic Zone. To avoid being ejected from their homes, they registered themselves with different urban poor associations.
Because of the sudden spike in membership last year, Beduya ordered her association members to stop accepting new members. (AIV)
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