Settlers, who claimed parcels of land in the Osmeña Shrine in Barangay Kalunasan, have agreed to leave the 4.2-hectare land after meeting with the city’s Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) on Friday.
Genaro Retagara, DWUP representative, told Cebu Daily News that around 20 persons met with him during last Friday’s scheduled meeting to discuss their return to the disputed site despite strong opposition of the Cebu City government.
“We agreed nga voluntary na silag hawa kay lage wala pa na-settle na diha ang yuta. Wala jud baya na sila tugti nga magtukod diha og mga balay (We agreed that they would voluntarily leave the area since land issues have not yet been addressed. They had no permit to build houses in the area),” he said.
Last Thursday, representatives from DWUP went to the shrine to check reports of tension coming from the area where residents themselves argued on the boundaries of the parcels of the land they were claiming.
When CDN visited the area last week, two small makeshift houses were built by residents from Sitio Acacia in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, as their houses are about to be demolished.
Elias Maglinte, leader of the settlers association who identified themselves as homeless, said that there are at least 340 families who wanted to build houses in the shrine.
They even notarized several copies of Affidavit of Undertaking, in which they sworn to demolish their houses as soon as the Cebu City government decides to utilize the land.
But Retagara said the affidavit was of no use. Residents are not allowed to build houses in the area.
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