Mahiga settlers seek Mandaue reloc site

The settlers of the three-meter easement zone in Mahiga Creek on the Mandaue City side secured a two-week reprieve from the city government to look for an alternative housing site for them.

The request approved by Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes came during a meeting between the settlers, the mayor and environment officials at the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas last Thursday.

Asst. Deputy Ombudsman Virginia Santiago will visit a 6.5-hectare relocation site provided by the city government in barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, to determine if the area is suitable for the more than 1,000 families.

At least 46 families of the sitio Rosal Homeowners Association in barangay Banilad, Mandaue City, met with Cortes and environment officials to discuss the relocation site at the Ombudsman’s office.

The residents voiced concern that they will not be issued land titles since the lots are reportedly classified as timberland by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The families will be given 28 to 30 square meters of land in the relocation site.

Mayor Cortes said the families shouldn’t be afraid of losing their lands because nearly all lands in Mandaue City, including the ground where the City Hall building stands on, are classified as timberland.

Cortes also said contrary to their fears, only a small portion of the relocation site has water whenever it has high tide.

He said they can block this with culverts similar to what they did in other relocation sites.

The mayor eventually agreed to give the residents two weeks to find a relocation site on the condition that it won’t be more than 2,000 square meters.

Cortes said they don’t have any other relocation site for the families.

The lawyer of the residents, Adelito Solibaga, said if they cannot locate a suitable relocation site in two weeks, they will meet again to decide whether to accept the city government’s offer.

Cortes said if the families won’t accept their offer, they will give them P17,220 in financial assistance for each family.

Santiago said the problem of securing the land titles for the families will be dealt with after they were situated in the relocation site.

Isabelo Montejo of the DENR’s Forestry Division said they can evaluate the relocation area and recommend for its reclassification. Correspondent Carine M. Asutilla