Titled lots at Buhisan river?

Cebu City officials voiced concern over reports that titles were issued to lots along the Buhisan River which is classified as a public domain.

Councilor Dave Tumulak voiced fears that the private ownership of these properties would hamper the city government’s effort to clear its waterways of structures and a plan to relocate Buhisan River occupants.

At 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday, five families were affected by a landslide that felled five trees and blocked a road in sitio Kaingking, barangay Toong in Cebu City.

Toong barangay chairman Teotimo Bacalso said several houses were damaged by the landslide which caused boulders to roll down a cliff and partially blocked the road.

The two houses adjacent to each other in the watershed area near the Buhisan dam were owned by Gilerma Billader and her son Robert. The family lived in the site for 14 years.

Five households of the Billader clan lived next to each other inside the boundary of the watershed area of barangay Toong and Buhisan Dam.

Simeon Romarante, executive director of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, said the area is an agricultural land that’s unsuitable for occupancy. Barangay officials helped clear the road in two hours.

“There won’t be any chance for the soil to recover because of the rising number of people living there. It is a test of the barangay official’s political will to see to it that they are relocated,” Romarate said.

Tumulak said he wants to meet with officials of the Land Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) next week to verify reports about the lot titles near the Buhisan dam.

Tumulak said he was surprised why lots along the Buhisan River were titled when the area is supposed to be inalienable because it was classified as a forest land.

He said he was worried that these lots could be located in geohazard areas.

Tumulak showed reporters a map of the mountains of Buhisan which he got hold of during his inquiry and titled properties along the river.

The Buhisan Dam is being monitored following an overflow last Monday and Tuesday.

Mayor Michael Rama said he was amenable to meeting with Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) officials to discuss what needs to be done at the dam area.

Guiller Ceniza, Tumulak’s executive assistant, said the city government could request the Office of the Solicitor General to initiate the filing of petitions for the cancellation of titles of these riverside lots.

Tumulak said he’s also working with Buhisan officials on the identification of a relocation site for the spillways occupants.