MORE than 20 urban poor families from Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City, will be relocated to make way for the construction of a new barangay gymnasium.
Councilor Celestino Aying, in an interview with SunStar Cebu, said 23 families will be transferred to a relocation site in Sitio Turil, Barangay Canjulao, after Barangay Poblacion requested to have its own facility for local events and activities.
According to Aying, the families were initially surveyed and informed about the City Government’s plans last March.
The final arrangements were made on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the families agreeing to the relocation.
Grace period
Starting from that date, each family was given a grace period of 10 to 15 days to fully move into their new homes.
“What’s good is that we’re relocating them to a proper site in Canjulao where they have access to water, electricity and paved roads. That’s why they’re happy,” Aying said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
The City Government also provided each family with P30,000 in financial assistance.
Relocated families will also be prioritized as beneficiaries of a planned socialized housing project in Canjulao once it is implemented, said Aying.
The 25-hectare housing project in Lapu-Lapu City originated from former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Proclamation 346 in 2003, reserving the land for urban development and socialized housing.
Administered by the National Housing Authority, it aims to provide homes for government employees and urban poor residents.
4PH program
While progress has been incremental, the project continues to be a focus, with outgoing Mayor Junard Chan affirming future construction under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.
Aying said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has yet to issue the pre-patent titles.
While these matters need to be resolved first, Aying expressed hope that everything will be settled within 2025 to proceed with the housing project.
The initiative, following the ongoing socialized housing project in Barangay Calawisan, is vital in addressing the persistent housing deficit and decongesting informal settlements in Lapu-Lapu City. / DPC