Inayawan settlers need to move out again

LANDFILL settlers who evacuated to  the Inayawan Elementary Schooll have to move out before  May 18.

That’s the date for the  annual cleanup before the start of classes under the Brigada Eskwela  program.

All 82  families in sitio Dumping Site have  vacated their homes on orders of City Hall.

More than 300 individuals  now occupy the public school but the choice of a relocation site is still hanging.

“They have to move out before the Brigada program  because we have to prepare for the opening of classes. The barangay captain is already aware of this,”  said acting Cebu City schools division superintendent Danilo G. Gudelosao said.

Classes will open on June 1.

Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama yesterday said the city government will feed the evacuees  until other arrangements can be made.

Some will be given cash assistance to go back to their hometowns in the province

Others will be assessed for accomodation in a social housing program.

“Decency and expediency should be primordial. But now, the good news is that they can sleep soundly,” he told reporters yesterday.

The mayor directed Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) assistant head Lucia Mahusay to continue providing packed meals to the settlers “until the mayor tells you to stop.”

This came after reports circulated that the distribution of packed meals has stopped.

“There is an impending disaster, hence, that is dislocation. There is imminent danger in their situation,” he said in justifying the  forced evacuation of  residents from the landfill, considered a “danger zone” with its towering piles of garbage.

The DSWS was tasked to profile the settlers, and help them go back to their hometowns.

Only those who have nowhere  else to go will be provided space at the planned relocation site, the mayor said.

Barangay officials are negotiating with owners of a 2.1-hectare lot in sitio San Isidro Labrador.

Mayor Rama said alternative sites will be epxlored.

“They (the land owners) already agreed and we just have to write a formal request to them and they will also undertake a waiver allowing us to use the place,” said barangay captain Lutherlee “Lotlot” Ignacio-Soon.

The city council has been preparing to buy the lot in sitio San Isidro from the heirs of   Ana Abangan but the deal is being studied by the legal office because another set of heirs has claimed ownership of the lot.

Residents should be consulted, said Councilor Alvin Dizon, who heads the committee on housing.

“The move to evacuate the families is laudable. Adequate consultations with affected families are paramount to ensure their permanent resettlement and relocation,” he said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) expressed support for the forced evacuation because the area is  “highly susceptible to trash-slide.”

“This is a debris accumulation zone where garbage was piled up and could move down anytime without warning and may be triggered by ground movement or earthquake or rains,” said Eddie Llamedo, DENR spokesman.

“This is a good time to move them now so that when rainy season comes they are in safer areas,” he added.