Council tells official to explain his ‘harsh words’

“YOU’RE not fit to live in the city. Return to your farms, plant camote and bananas. Don’t wait for the heavy equipment to come and strip away your tents and houses.”

These words in Cebuano were quoted by Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon, who said City Hall’s chief of the disaster management council, Alvin Santillana used them to pressure evacuees of Mahiga River to leave Block 27 in the North Reclamation , where they have been staying since last year.

The Cebu City Council on Wednesday called on Santillana to explain his conduct aftter Dizon, in a privileged speech, complained about the “inhumane treatment.”

About 26 families remain in Block 27, where free water and electricity supply was cut off June 30 by the city government.

They were told to vacate this month because City Hall needs the area to park heavy equipment that would be used to dredge the nearby Mahiga creek as an anti-flooding measure.

Santillana told reporters he would submit his wrriten reply to the council.

He said Mayor Michael Rama asked him to also remind the Council to approve the pending P157 disaster budget for 2012.

Councilors deferred budget approval and asked the City Risk Reduction Management Office is able to first show last year’s budget and explain how he will spend this year’s outlay.

Mayor Rama Rama temporarily relocated the families to Block 27 after he ordered the clearing of Mahiga Creek last year.

Dizon said it was ironic that the Cebu City government was cited for caring for animals and yet disregards the needs of its urban poor.

Last May 23 the city government received an award from the Humane Society International in Las Vegas for its commitment and dedication in humane animal control.

“If we take pride and honor that our City was recognized as an animal-friendly city, why cannot we elevate this stature and recognition for us to be known as a pro-poor city?,” Dizon said.

Councilor Edgar Labella, Rama’s ally in the council, said asked colleagues to allow Santillana to reply to the allegations against him.

In a separate resolution, Dizon also called on the mayor to use the P78 million allocated by the National Housing Authority (NHA) to relocate the urban poor families occupying block 27.

Dizon said it would be inhumane of the city to evict the families without providing a permanent and decent relocation site.

Dizon said the funds have been ready for use since last year “but the Department of the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) had yet to act on the allocation,” he said.

He also asked Rama and the DWUP to brief the council on how they intend to use the loan facility.

Dizon said Rama’s failure to provide adequate, permanent relocation to the block 27 occupants is a clear indication that housing for the urban poor isn’t a priority of his administration. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac