THE ceremonies to formally open the coastal road to traffic has been moved from November 10 to November 24, although vehicles can begin using the road this Friday as announced earlier.
An official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Northern Mindanao said the formal inauguration, which will be graced by public works secretary Mark Villar, was moved due to accommodate Villar's other commitments.
"Dili pa final pero possibly sa November 24, depende pa sa schedule ni Secretary Villar," DPWH-Northern Mindanao spokesperson Vinah Maghinay said, even as she explained that the inauguration is just a formality.
But Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) overseer and Hapsay Dalan chief, lawyer Edgardo Uy said the coastal road will only accommodate buses, trucks, and private vehicles starting on Friday.
"Naa napud advisory nga imove pero ato na gyud ng iopen sa Friday. Atong target na maka-dry run ta sa Friday pero kung muingon ang taga-DPWH nga isirado sa gyud kay naa pay wala nahuman nga trabaho, we will have to close it again," he said.
Already, the DPWH has changed the schedule of the inauguration thrice on November 15, then moved to November 10, and now, on November 24.
But despite the change of schedule, the City Government has proceeded with the clearing operations on Tuesday, November 7.
Chylie Gayla, administrative officer of the City Housing and Urban Development Department (CHUDD), said only 7 of the 13 families who were affected by the clearing operations have decided to stay at the evacuation center in barangay Indahag.
However, the future of the informal settlers is still uncertain since, according to Gayla, the CHUDD has yet to find vacant house units in relocation sites where they could transfer.
"Sa Indahag evacuation center didto sila maghulat kay karon so far, wala pa kita ka-identify kay wala pay bakante, kay bag-o raman na-transfer tong mga nademolish sad sa barangay 31," she said.
But City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) head Teddy Sabuga-a assures the affected residents that the City Government will continue to provide assistance while they wait for their relocation, which he said, could take 6 months from now.
Sabuga-a said they distributed P1,000 cash and a sack of rice for the affected families on Tuesday, November 7.
Sabuga-a meanwhile reminds barangay officials to stop allowing people to live in illegal areas.
"If only the barangay will really cooperate in preventing structures to be built in illegal places, dili unta mahitabo, pero ang sad note, kinahanglan man gud sila iparehistro pud sa barangay. So na-exploit ni sila actually, gi allow sila pagpapuyo temporarily sa mga canal, sa mga creek unya iparehistro so mao ng nahimo silang squatters, and I hope maundang ni nga practice," he said.
"Ang barangay gayud unta iwasan ni nga practice sa governance kay ang luoy ang katawhan," he added.
Estelita Rivera, 65, one of the affected residents, said her family has been living in the area for 10 years.
Although she’s not been resisting from the clearing operations, Rivera said she hopes it would not take long for the government to provide them with relocation sites.
"Okay raman gihapon kay dili man gyud ni ato although mag guol gihapon kay na-tiles na baya ning balaya, dako napud among na-invest dinhi," she said.
"Naa lage daw ihatag sa amo nga bugas, pero dawbi among panggasto adlaw-adlaw, kinahanglan baya gihapon. So among hangyo dili unta dugayon ang relocation kay lisod kaayo, mag-unsa nalang mi, mga tigulang na baya mi, unya estduyante baya ng akong apo," Rivera added.