No resistance in Lapu-Lapu City coastline demolition

More than 600 illegal structures, including pigpens and boarding houses, were demolished yesterday in Sitio Tacan, Barangay Ibo, Lapu-Lapu City.

Mayor Paz Radaza said no one resisted the demolition because the residents were given advance notice by the City Legal Office.

"Okay raman. They even helped kay para masave ang mga kahoy,” Radaza said.

The demolition was long overdue, according to Radaza, because it was postponed several times due to humanitarian reason.

Radaza said that Barangay Pusok will come next after Barangay Ibo then Barangays Mactan, Buaya, and Pajo. She said there are more or less 3,000 individuals are living in the coastlines of these areas.

"I think mo-take time pa siguro ta kay hinay ang lihok nila tungod sa tubig (nga motaob)," Radaza said.

Around 120 personnel from Material Recovery Facility (MRF), another 30 from the City Engineering Office, and about 100 from Clean and Green Office composed the demolition team.

Radaza said they cannot finish the demolition in one day but she assured that all structures violating the three meter easement zone will be removed.

The mayor urged the residents who were given notice of demolition to voluntarily destroy their houses.

"Kung mahimo nga sila moguba, mas maayo," Radaza said.

The mayor also clarified that the city government is not giving financial assistance to boarding house renters and owners. However, informal settlers living in the area for several years now will be relocated and will be given P10,000 financial assistance and food packs.

Radaza admitted that the city has no plan yet for the informal settlers because it is more focused on removing the illegal structures along the Mactan channel.

The Environmental Management Bureau-7 earlier reported high level of fecal coliform in the waters along the coastlines of LapuLapu City. Informal settlers along the coastlines are believed to have contributed to the problem prompting the city officials to order the demolition.