All roads leading to barangay Luz will be widened by two meters to allow the entry of fire trucks and emergency personnel in their area.
The compromise was arrived at between barangay Luz and Cebu City Hall officials yesterday morning.
“We’ll reclaim the roads so there’s no need for reblocking,” City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete said.
Poblete said they found out that the existing roads were originally six meters wide and that over time, the roads became narrower because residents kept extending their area until they occupied a part of the road.
He said the barangay Luz officials will have to explain to the residents living beside the roads that a part of their property will be affected by the road widening.
The road widening affects sitios Abellana, Lubi, City Central, and Sto.Niño 1 in barangay Luz.
Engineer Ricardo Masiglat, head of the technical committee of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP), said the road widening has two lanes.
Poblete said they understood the fears of the residents after hearing reports that the roads will be widened to 10 meters since it would mean depriving them of living space.
Barangay Luz captian Rian Tante said the displaced families living beside the road are ready to reduce their area for the betterment of more residents.
He said they will enforce a 1.5-meter wide alley to allow more access to people.
Tante said they will have to establish the actual space limits of the roads, including utilities like electric posts and waterways.
Only after establishing the parameters can the residents start to rebuild their homes, Poblete said.
In its session yesterday, the City Council passed a resolution asking Mayor Michael Rama to consult with the affected families before proceeding with the re-blocking and road-widening projects.
Rama will meet with the Local Finance Committee (LFC) to discuss what happened to Supplemental Budget 2 which would fund the purchase of equipment and fire trucks for the city.
Cebu City Fire Marshal Aderson Comar said the city needs additional fire substations to respond to fire outbreaks especially in barangays with a substantial presence of urban poor occupants.
Cebu City now has nine fire sub stations located in barangays Parian, Pardo, Guadalupe, Mabolo, Talamban, Labangon, San Nicolas, Pahina Central and Lahug. Comar also called for more fire hydrants in areas with narrow access roads.
For her part, Councilor Nida Cabrera, former barangay Luz captain, said some affected families complained that they have yet to receive the financial aid as promised by the city’s Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS).
Vice President Jejomar Binay, who was in Cebu yesterday, pledged to allocate housing materials to the fire victims in Barangay Luz.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia also said the Capitol will provide goods and cash aid to the families.
Tante said the annual Brigada Eskwela activity which involves cleaning up classrooms in preparation for the school season will be delayed to give time to residents staying in the Luz Elementary School to rebuild their homes. With Correspondents Carmel Loise Matus, Edison delos Angeles and Tweeny M. Malinao