Rama says Mahiga Creek clearing to go on
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama eased up on his demolition campaign in the Mahiga Creek, but only because it’s raining.
“It’s the law. You can’t conduct a demolition when it’s raining. You don’t have to tell workers that because they already know,” he said.
A day after the Cebu City Council passed a resolution urging the mayor to “immediately stop” the demolition of shanties of settlers along all creeks and waterways in the city until a “decent relocation site” is ready, the mayor said he would continue his campaign to clear the Mahiga Creek of about 140 families illegally living there to prevent the loss of lives due to flood threats.
He clarified that he is against letting City Hall give financial aid to the settlers, not relocation per se, but welcomes aid from other agencies, like the National Housing Authority (NHA), which said P78.2 million is available for a housing project.
To prepare for Typhoon Chedeng, he ordered barangay officials to activate Barangay Disaster Brigades (BDB) and volunteers to take precautions and watch out for flooding and landslides.
On Saturday, at least P8,000 each will be distributed to 32 displaced families of Mahiga Creek as cash aid from the pork barrel of Cebu City Rep. Tomas Osmeña and Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar.
Barangay Mabolo is allocating another P1,000 per family from its calamity funds.
“The financial assistance is not only a matter of mercy but a matter of right,” said Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the council’s housing committee.
“If we base it on the law, the local government unit is supposed to give this. In the absence of that, here come the two district representatives,” he said.
The families moved across the road and now occupy makeshift dwellings on the sidewalk, refusing to stay in tents put up by City Hall in Block 27 of the North Reclamation Area.
In previous interviews, the mayor repeatedly said he would not let City Hall give “financial assistance” to illegal settlers to avoid encouraging more to migrate to the city but would welcome other government agencies extending help.
“Let me clear it up once and for all. I did not say that I will not give a relocation site for the Mahiga residents. That’s why I am wondering who gave the council that information,” said Rama.
“I am happy that some people are giving the residents some financial aid,” he said referring to the congressmen’s cash dole-outs.
The pause in demolitions will last only while rains intensified by Typhoon Chedeng are falling.
Under Sec. 28 of the Urban Development Housing Act, eviction or demolition orders involving poor and homeless citizens shall be made “only during regular office hours from Mondays to Fridays and during good weather, unless the affected families consent otherwise.”
“The people who are involved in the clearing operations in Mahiga are not new. They have been involved in many clearings before. The only thing that is new here is the mayor,” said Rama.
Earlier, the mayor, in reaction to the Council’s appeal, said city legislators can’t control the effects of bad weather and flooding.
“I am willing to stop basta muhatag silag storya unsaon pagingon sa bagyo nga, ‘Ayaw usa, ayaw pagbaha.’” (I’m willing to stop demolitions as long as they show me how to tell a storm, ‘Don’t strike yet, don’t cause flooding.’)
Rama instead challenged the council to come up with solutions to mitigate effects of flooding, especially after Jan. 25’s flashflood, which surprised city residents after less than two hours of rain.
Vice Mayor Joy Young yesterday said the council supports the mayor’s campaign to clear the creeks but only wants it put on hold until the relocation site is made ready.
“The resolution of Jun Pe was made when it came to our knowledge that there is a money set aside for the relocation. So we were hoping to just hold off the demolition until the relocation is ready. We are not saying that it will be on hold for a year or so but eventually the residents will just transfer to a relocation site when it’s ready,” said Young.
The council noted the letter of National Housing Authority (NHA) general manager Chito M. Cruz to Congressman Osmeña reporting that P78.191 million was available for the Cebu city government for resettlement projects under a P100 million allocation of the Poverty Alleviation Fund -3 of the national budget of 1998.
The target beneficiaries are informal settlers occupying creeks, esteros and waterways.
The amount, to be repaid at six percent per annum, will be released subject to NHA board approval and paper requirements such as a Memorandum of Agreement between NHA and Cebu City.
Cruz, in his April 13 letter, said he instructed NHA Cebu City’s project manager to coordinate with the mayor’s office to identify a project.
The balance of P21.8 million from PAF-3 Funds was already used to acquire a 22,956-square meter lot in barangay Budlaan, Talamban, Cebu City as a relocation site for occupants living in Upper and Lower Carreta, Cebu City.
The NHA recalled that Osmeña, who was then city mayor, agreed to the lot purchase in June 17, 2004.
