NEWS BRIEFS

COUNCIL TO MEET HOMEOWNERS

The Cebu City Council plans to meet with homeowners associations (HOAs), who occupy socialized housing sites in sitios Lubi, Nangka, and Mabuhay in barangay Luz before the council decides on the plea of 32 urban poor families for the city government to acquire the lot they occupy and prevent their eviction.

Couniclor Alvin Dizon told the council during Wednesday’s session that while it’s the responsibility of the city government to make sure its urban poor residents avail of decent housing, it’s also their responsibility to make sure they comply with the provisions of the socialized housing program.

“The right to adequate housing can only be achieved if both the government and urban poor residents work together,” he said reading a committee report.

Council members wanted to sit down with the three HOAs on Sept. 5 to discuss with them the concern of the 32 families. A separate meeting will also be scheduled for the 32 families./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

MRF OPERATION STOPPED

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama temporarily suspended the operation of the material recovery facility (MRF) in sitio Grotto, barangay Quiot after barangay officials and local residents, who opposed the setting up of the MRF, failed to settle their differences. Rama signed cease and desist order last Aug. 22.

The residents led by physician Ramon del Fierro Jr. complained to the Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) that they weren’t consulted prior to the implementation of the project, which would be set up near houses, a nursery school and a shrine. They also feared that the MRF might be a health hazard to them.

The SWMB recommended last Aug. 15 that the project be temporarily suspended until the complaint would be resolved and it asked for the mayor to intervene./Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao

PWDS INFO DRIVE

Persons with Disabilities in Mandaue City yesterday started posting posters reminding establishments, pharmacies, stores and restaurants about the rights of PWDs and senior citizens.

Michael Pialago, president of the Federation of PWDs in Mandaue City, said that they would also include public utility vehicles in their information drive especially since most jeepney drivers were reluctant to grant them their 20 percent discount. /Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza

LIGHTING RETROFIT

Four local government units, seven universities and a state-owned hospital in the Visayas committed yesterday to change their existing lighting systems to energy efficient ones also called the lighting retrofit.

They signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Energy (DOE) yesterday at the Rajah Park Hotel in Cebu City.

The commitment to shift to energy efficient lights is part of the DOE’s Efficient Lighting Initiative of the Philippine Energy Efficeiency Project (PEEP), which is aimed to improve lighting systems of government offices, save electricity, and reduce carbon emissions.

The agreement includes replacing inefficient flourescent lights with energy efficient lights like compact flourescent lamps in homes, streetlights, traffic lights and the establishment of a mercury waste management facility from used flourescent lamps.

Those who signed the agreement included the local governments of Cebu City, Silay City, Aklan and Tacloban City while the schools were led by Cebu Technological University and Leyte Normal University. The project is expected to save 222 Mwh or P2.22 million./Correspondent Joy Cherry