San Roque fire victims (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
More than a month after being displaced by a fire, only half of the more than 100 families of barangay San Roque in Cebu City will be allowed to rebuild at the fire site.
Colin Rosell, Department of Welfare of the Urban Poor chief, said the 60 families will be given 12 square meters each after the area is re-blocked.
“The rest will have to relocate to the city’s socialized housing site,” he said.
Since the area is located close to a river and barangay road, Rosell said the city will have to restore the three meter easement which the occupants encroached and restore the original size of that road.
Rosell said his office identified a 4,000 sq meter lot in the mountain barangay of Binaliw as a relocation site for the other San Roque families.
The Sta. Ana family who owns the lot is prepared to sell their property to the city at P2,500 per sq meter.
Own place
“Until purchase is made and the lot is developed for occupancy, the fire victims will have to find their own place. They can either rent or live with their relatives,” he said.
Rosell said the city government already gave fire victims P10,000 in cash aid per family.
They also have the option to temporarily move into the city’s socialized housing site in Budlaan.
The DWUP listed 111 families that were displaced by last month’s San Roque fire. Rosell said they are now validating the list of beneficiaries that will be allowed to rebuild at the fire site.
“Qualified families will be given 12 sq meters each and the fire site will already have a road network and facilities, public toilet and a chapel after the reblocking,” he said.
The rest of the families will have to wait until the Sta Ana property is ready for occupancy.
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