Rolando Navasca, 55, is among the settlers under the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
A Mandaue City official has challenged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office to disclose the itemized budget for the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge repair project.
Mandaue City Legal Officer Omar Redula said clearing operations should be part of the repair project. He wanted to know why no funds have been allotted for this.
He issued the challenge after DPWH-7 did not respond to the city government’s request for assistance to settlers underneath the bridge.
“As I know part of the budget of the project is for the clearing for those people down there. I don’t know why they are washing their hands nga kami ilang gihatagan anang responsibility (and passing the responsibility to us),” Redula told Cebu Daily News.
DPWH-7 has said that it does not have funds for the relocation of the settlers, who would be at risk once the major repairs on the bridge start.
No date has been set for the resumption of the major repair works on the bridge because DPWH-7 was still waiting for the Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) to strengthen the supports of its pipeline which is attached to the bridge’s underside, said project engineer Danilo Pasicaran.
MCWD general manager Noel Dalena, for his part, said they were just waiting for DPWH-7 to approve and implement the revised design of their 400-meter pipeline.
Redula said he cannot understand why DWPH-7 would not take responsibility for the relocation of these setters considering that the national government is the property owner.
“We can assist them unya karon they keep on washing their hands nga they cannot do it without our help. We are willing to help but they (should) start. We can only help implement the clearing but we will not be the lead agency,” he said.
The city government has assured the affected residents that they would not be evicted unless a relocation site or cash assistance is provided.
Redula said the city government is considering two options – provide a relocation site or distribute cash assistance equivalent to two months’ salary.
“Where will we get the money? Pwede na namo ma-shoulder. But don’t you think it’s unfair? Ilahang project unya ang Mandaue ang pagastuhon (It’s a DPWH project, but Mandaue will have to spend for the relocation or cash assistance to the residents)?” Redula said.
“Where’s the money? Where’s the component of the project (that provides) for clearing the residents? Let them explain hain ang kwarta (where the money went),” he added.
Redula said the city government does not own a property that can be developed into a relocation site. No budget has been allocated for financial assistance to the affected settlers either.
“There’s no reason nga mo-budget mi kay it’s not our project. Pero kani lage this sound spectacle kay puro ra gud government unya mag-doot-doot in the eyes of the people inutil but we have to observe proper procedure (There’s no reason for us to allot funds because it’s not our project. This buck-passing between government offices has become a spectacle. We appear inutile in the eyes of the people),” he said.
Tony Pet Juanico, Mandaue City Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO) chief, said they can’t proceed unless DPWH-7 responds to their request for assistance.
Juanico said he has been waiting for word from DPWH-7 since their closed-door meeting last week.
Some 25 structures located at the foot of the bridge will be directly affected by Phase 1 of the project or the U-Turn Slot. These were marked on Tuesday by HUDO and contractor Jegma Construction and Development Corp.
Among the 25 structures are three houses for rent and an abandoned warehouse. Juanico said most of the structures are made of light materials.
He said he will hold a pre-demolition conference with the affected residents once he gets a response from DPWH-7.
“We can’t hold a conference if we can’t offer them any assistance. For sure there will be a lot of arguments and it will be definitely a chaotic one,” Juanico said.