Relocate Mahiga folks first, Jonas tells Mike

MAYOR Jonas Cortes is asking for a little time before Mayor Michael Rama implements the clearing of informal settlers on the Mandaue side of the Mahiga Creek.

Cortes said the informal settlers could not just be evicted without providing a relocation site for them.

“We should be given more time because we cannot just demolish their houses without giving assistance.  We are also doing this for humanitarian reasons,” Cortes said.

The Mandaue City government has a 6.5-hectare relocation site for informal settlers in barangay Paknaan.

Those living along the easement zones of creeks will be relocated as soon as the local government finished complying with the requirements set by Urban Development Housing Authority (UDHA).

Recently, the local government allowed some settlers to move to the site and 20 families are allowed to relocate every week.

The 6.5-hectare lot, which can accommodate 1,200 families, will be paid through the Community Mortgage Program (CMP).

Cortes said  evicting the informal settlers without giving them relocation sites is a Band-Aid solution to the problem of squatters.

Giving decent houses to these informal settlers is the permanent solution, said Cortes.