RESIDENTS TO CITY: ALLOW US TO STAY

Mandaue City Government provides each structure owner with P10T financial assistance and offers a relocation site in Barangay Paknaan

Some residents who were affected by the demolition in Sitio Tribunal, Centro, Mandaue City last Monday still want to stay in the area.

They said that they are willing to construct their houses away from the Tribunal Creek, if they will be allowed to stay in the area.

Carcisa Maghanay, 61, said that she has been living in Sitio Tribunal since 1984, and that she wants to continue staying in the area.

Maghanay said that she has been receiving reports about plans to demolish the area but these did not push through, until last Monday.

The demolition team from the City’s Housing Urban and Development Office (Hudo) cleared the structures that were built within the three-meter easement of the creek last June 19.

The demolition was part of the City’s efforts to keep families away from the danger zone.

“The water in the creek rises during rains and high tide. We experienced that water got inside our house, but we did not experience illnesses, especially my grandchildren,” Maghanay said Cebuano.

Half of Maghanay’s house was tore down because it was included in the three-meter easement of the creek.

She said her family will continue to stay there because the other half of their house is still intact. Maghanay said that her family bought the lot where their house was built.

Earlier, Cesar Ylanan, head of the Hudo’s demolition division, said each structure owner was given P10,000 as financial assistance.

He said other families affected by the demolition have a space allotted for them in the 6.5-hectare relocation site in Barangay Paknaan.

Elgina Esles, 45, who was also affected by the demolition, said that they still have an area in Sitio Tribunal where they can stay.

She said they did not avail themselves of the relocation site in Paknaan because of the P1,800 monthly amortization for the house and lot.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office distributed rice and canned goods to the affected families. /

CONTRIBUTED FOTO/MANDAUE CITY PIO DEMOLITION. A team from Mandaue City Government tears down several houses in Sitio Tribunal in Barangay Mandaue as these were found built within the 3-meter easement zone of a creek .