Notices to vacate the area will be given to all victims of the Barangays Guizo and Mantuyong fire as the Mandaue City government prepares for the site development of the areas.
Lawyer Giovanni Tianero, acting Mandaue City administrator, said the notices will be given to the 60 families, who remained at the fires site, and those victims who are temporarily staying at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) grounds to make sure that no one will build houses at the fire site.
Tianero said that cases will be filed against those who will not follow the order to vacate the area.
Yesterday, representatives from Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), City Social Welfare and Services (CSWS), and Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO) met to discuss the status of the fire victims.
Tianero said they were looking into reports of an alleged wire tapping at the CICC and were still checking on the veracity of the reports.
He said they also discussed steps to solve the garbage disposal problem of the fire victims.
Tianero also said that policemen were ready to secure those working on re-blocking the fire site to prevent any untoward incidents especially against those opposed to the site development.
“Gusto sila magpabilin. Dili sila pahilabot. Kami, of course, we will give them ample time. Appropriate notices will be given (to them),” Tianero said.
He said that five collapsible “houses” will be built on the road near the fire site which will be the temporary shelters for the fire victims until the fire site development will be done.
More than 2,000 families were displaced when the fire hit last March 12.
Yesterday, Felix Suico of the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, reiterated the city government’s stand not to allow the fire victims to stay inside the CICC.
Suico said it is unsafe for them to stay inside the building, citing the building’s weak foundation.
Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III agreed with the Mandaue City government’s stand.
However, the provincial government has allowed the victims to build temporary shelters at the CICC grounds while the Mandaue City government starts to develop the fire site.
Meanwhile, Congresswoman-elect Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu’s third district reacted to plans of the the Cebu provincial government to sell the CICC to the Mandaue City government.
Garcia said the provincial government should first repair the CICC before selling it to the Mandaue City government.
Garcia, in a text message to CEBU DAILY NEWS, said the current state of the CICC, if sold to the Mandaue City government, will “only be at a disadvantage in terms of appraised value and cost.”
“The CICC must first be repaired and returned to its original condition prior to the earthquake and typhoon Yolanda as is the obligation and responsibility of the Province’s Chief Executive,” she added.