Margot says students should move out of condo

Local media waited for City Hall inspectors to arrive for an evaluation of the city condominium for students which has, among other defects, a damaged water tank. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

CEBU City Acting Mayor Margot Osmeña wanted all 600 students staying in a city-owned condominium to move out but admitted that they don’t have any place for them to transfer to.

“What I’ve found out, first, the water is contaminated; that is really bad and they use it for cooking. And then the rooms are almost uninhabitable,” Osmeña said.

The City Engineer’s Office declared the building unfit for occupancy for the 600 students who come from the city’s mountain barangays.

“I don’t know. I’ve read it’s better to demolish it,” she said.

Osmeña said she understands that classes are ongoing but she cannot allow the students to stay at the condominium. “What if all of a sudden it decides to crumble today?” she said.

The acting mayor said the caretaker, Sudlon 1 barangay chairman Dante Tabucal, told her the building had fallen into disrepair after the October 15, 2013 earthquake.

“How come we didn’t do anything about it? All this time we have put the students and themselves in a very precarious situation,” Osmeña said.

She said she will discuss the city condominium’s status with the Office of the Building Official (OBO), the City Engineer’s Office and the City Planning and Development Office.