AN OFFICIAL of Mandaue City’s Housing and Urban Development Office (Hudo) said the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to postpone the clearing of illegal settlers could delay drainage projects and flood mitigation programs in the city.
Hudo chief Tony Pet Juanico said they plan to appeal before the DILG to allow them to continue with the clearing operations against illegal settlers.
Based on Hudo’s data, a total of 3,297 informal settler families live along the three-meter easement of the Butuanon River, Mahiga Creek, Centro-Tipolo Creek, Ibabao-Estancia Creek, Old Butuanon River, Mactan Channel, Casili-Consolacion Creek, Basak Creek and Cansaga Mangrove.
“We need to expedite the process especially the dredging and widening of the rivers to address and mitigate the flooding issues,” said Juanico.
They are on their final stage of completing the requirements for the appeal to be submitted to the DILG.
Once the DILG will approve the appeal, Juanico said the City Government will still provide assistance to the informal settlers through the “Balik Probinsya” program, providing relocation sites or financial assistance.
Juanico clarified that not all will benefit from this assistance as they are still subject to validation.
Those who have received relocation or financial assistance will no longer qualify for the city’s assistance. However, the city could still include them in the “Balik Probinsya” program.
Juanico said those who have not received any assistance from the government can still be a beneficiary of the relocation or financial assistance.
According to Juanico, the financial assistance can range from P10,000 to P20,000.
Juanico is encouraging informal settlers to coordinate with them and voluntarily vacate the easement.
He said they may visit the Hudo their office on the second floor of Jolibee in Brgy. Centro, Mandaue City to inquire and avail themselves of the assistance or the Balik Probinsya program. (KFD)