BAGUIO City Mayor Benjamin Magalong stood his ground against illegal settlers near the Loakan airport.
Magalong said notices have been given to the first set of settlers identified and confirmed to be encroaching the area with directives to self-demolish structures.
The mayor said a meeting with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) is set this week for an ocular survey to further define buffer zones.
Magalong added that there is no relocation for illegal settlers as they cannot be classified as urban poor, pointing to the homes built at the area to be of the upper and middle class.
The chief executive said dialog will continue and assured a process will ensue before any demolitions can take place, however, there have been identified and confirmed illegally built structure in the area to which the city will lay claim.
“They know they are occupying the area illegally, they have admitted it,” Magalong said.
A series of dialogs as well as three notices will be given settlers before a forced demolition is to be imposed.
It has been announced that infrastructure built within the Loakan airport and its buffer zone measuring 75 meters, both sides from the center of the airstrip is set to be demolished by the city government as part of the preparatory works for the opening of the airport to commercial flights.
Magalong said once issues at the Loakan airport is resolved, airlines will be willing to route flights from the Pine city anew and will open economic progress as investors will be more receptive to consider the city as a lucrative for business.