We can only hope that both Cebu City Hall and the provincial government resolve the plight of the Apas settlers, a substantial number of whom are blind people with very few opportunities for gainful employment.
The fire that struck Barangay Apas last Dec. 4 left more than 1,000 people homeless and resulted in the death of one blind woman. While there are families who can and have shown willingness to relocate to Barangay Kalunasan, there are still more that refuse to move out.
In fact, the families have already rebuilt some makeshift houses in the province-owned lot, which they had occupied for years without rental, for fear that someone else may build their own houses there.
It’s a fairly common plight of settlers in urban centers; finding it too expensive to rent even a small room in hundreds of boarding houses and inns, they opt to find any place where they can build their shanties on and live in it, ignorant of the possibility that the lot is owned by either a private landowner or the government.
When a fire destroys their home, they look up to the government to help them build a new home complete with amenities, just like in the case of the Apas settlers, who expect to stay in the same place they’ve lived in for several years.
The Apas settlers rebuilt their shanties after hearing reports that later proved to be false that a lot near a government agency is being prepared as a relocation site for them.
Not only is the said lot a part of the government agency’s compound, the land is also too expensive for them to pay for since it is donated by the province, which intends to have no one else occupy it.
The unfortunate plight of the Apas settlers occurred just as the city and province signed a land swap agreement for the families living in province-owned lots covered under Provincial Ordinance 93-1.
The settlers are a different story, yet their plight had bound both Cebu City Hall and the Capitol together since the families lived in province-owned land and they are constituents of the city regardless of their economic status.
The relocation site in Kalunasan had yet to be developed, and the only available transportation is the motorcycle-for-hire or habal-habal, which charges fares that cannot be afforded by majority of the settlers.
The settlers asked for a three-month extension or at least until the school season ends next year, but by that time, their makeshift shanties would become homes and it would be harder to relocate them.
It’s time that they move out but not before they are given suitable relocation site where public transport is readily available and power and water supply is assured.
In fact, while City Hall should start to seriously pursue building suitable relocation sites, it should also consider sending back families with homes in the countryside if only to reduce the population of settlers in the city.
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