Six-month stay of Citi Center eviction sought

The chief of barangay Kamagayan yesterday asked he City Council to stay the eviction of the occupants of the Citi Center Complex.

Barangay Captain Celestino “Tony” Avila asked the council to defer the eviction of the occupants in the City Hall-owned property since there is still no available funding to build the urban poor condominium which Mayor Michael Rama wanted built in the area.

Avila said 300 families will be left homeless if the demolition is implemented now without a relocation site.

Councilor Jose Daluz, a Rama ally, said there should be a study to determine the viability of having an urban poor condominium in a “highly commercial” area.

Councilor Alvin Dizon, the council’s housing committee chairperson, wanted a six month moratorium imposed against the planned Citi Center demolition to especially allow the city time to find a relocation for the affected families.

Dizon said the city government plans to build an urban poor condominium unit in the area where each unit will have an area of 30 sq. meters to 40 sq. meters each and would cost P2 million to P3 million per unit.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said that a P2 million to P3 million cost for an urban poor condominium unit is too expensive especially since it’s not an upscale condominium.

He said a P500,000 per unit cost is be more viable for an urban poor condominium./Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac