AN ORDINARY clean-up drive on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, as a preparation for the Sinulog Festival next year, ended up exposing some anomalies inside the Department of General Services impounding and storage facility at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama was shocked to find people living in shanties inside the facility.
“Ipaguba gyud to niya kay ang presence sa mga kubol-kubol mao to ang mag tingal sa mga trabahante nga posible manghilabot,” said Ramil Ayuman, Rama’s secretary on special projects.
(The mayor wants the shanties demolished because their occupants might end up stealing from the facility.)
The mayor also saw hundreds of sacks of cement that had hardened. He said the City will donate the sacks of hardened cement to barangays to be used as footpaths.
The facility at the SRP also houses a junkyard and a motor pool for unserviceable equipment owned by the City.
In Ayuman’s Facebook Live video, Rama said the equipment will be prone to stealing, especially since there are people who can go in and out of the area.
“Supposedly this is an impounding [area]. They need only security but not people sleeping here,” Rama said.
Rama noted how important it is to conduct an ocular inspection rather than having all discussions at the table.
The mayor ordered his executive secretary Collin Rosell, a lawyer, to lead the task force that would take charge of clearing the facility of illegal settlers.
In an interview with Ayuman’s KTV News, Rosell said that there is a need to secure the facility to make sure that all equipment will be accounted for.
“Nagkalandrakas gyud ang mga kabtangan nga naa diring dapita. Dili ka kahibalo kung asa ang magamit ug asa ang dili,” said Rosell.
(All of the equipment here is in disarray. You cannot determine which one can still be used and which one cannot be used.)
The mayor previously announced that the Sinulog 2023 will be held in SRP and he will be bringing different hotel brands to the SRP and establishing a temporary tent city in the area for the festivities.