Carreta road restoration suspended

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama suspended the demolition and restoration of a road in barangay Carreta heading to U. Alviola Street in barangay Tejero to give residents a chance to submit their proposal.

The affected residents are suggesting another plan to establish a road network in barangay Carreta going to U. Alviola Street.

Their proposal, they claim, will affect only few houses.

Tejero first councilman Garry Lao said that during their dialogue with the mayor last week, the Mayor ordered the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor to study the residents’ proposal.

For the meantime, the notices of demolition issued by the Squatters Prevention and Encroachment Elimination Division are suspended.

According to Lao, the mayor agreed that the outcome of the negotiation shall be advantageous to both parties, that is to both the city government and the residents.

Lao said that over 100 families are affected and all of them have built their houses on a government lot.

The city has not expressed intent to evict these families occupying a government lot but the mayor is determined to create a road network in the area so there will be access to emergency vehicles during times of emergencies such as fire.

The fire-stricken area in Carreta already has a widened road but the city was not able to finish the restoration because of the refusal of the homeowners whose houses were spared from the fire that occurred in August last year.

Fire struck several times in barangay Tejero last year which gave more reason for the city to hasten the establishment of a road network so fire trucks can easily access the area.

Lao said the mayor did not give a deadline but tasked DWUP Chief and lawyer Collin Rossell to be on top of the case.

Lao said that they also asked the mayor if the affected residents will receive financial assistance and the mayor left the job to Rossell to identify residents eligible for assistance.  (FREEMAN)