Warwick fire victims take plight to Palma

CEBU, Philippines - More than one hundred families who are fire victims at Sitio Warwick Barracks, Barangay Ermita, Cebu City staying at the North Reclamation Area asked the help of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to hold a dialog with Mayor Michael Rama with regard to their situation.

Emalyn Aliviano, spokesperson of Kilusan, a non-government organization helping the fire victims said Palma through the Archdiocesan Discernment Group mediated a dialog between the city government, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and the victims.

PCUP is now helping the victims to acquire a lot in Talavera, Quiot Pardo Cebu City.

However, she said a letter from the office of the Mayor stated that Rama cannot talk with them for now because of  his busy schedule.

The city government has been urging the victims who are presently staying in Block 27 at NRA to transfer in the city’s relocation site in Barangay Budlaan. But the victims disagree because the place to them is not accessible.

Aliviano said the victims have agreed that they would not transfer to the said barangay until Rama will talk to them saying “we are still hoping for this dialog.”

She said the purpose of the dialog is to make sure that the city government will sign a memorandum of agreement assuring that the government shall provide water, electricity, financial assistance and livelihood among others as soon as the victims will temporarily transfer in the said barangay while waiting for the processing of their papers to acquire the lot in Talavera,Quiot Pardo.

According to her, the city government should follow the provisions stated in Republic Act 7279 known as “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.”

The said law provides that the state shall “uplift the conditions of the underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban areas and in resettlement areas by making available to them decent housing at affordable cost, basic services, and employment opportunities.”

Last Tuesday, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council operations officer Alvin Santillana said victims started moving to Budlaan and supposedly ended their stay last Wednesday.

However, Aliviano said as of  Thursday, no one from the victims transferred to the said barangay.

The FREEMAN tried to contact Santillana but calls and text messages went unanswered.

The other aim of the dialog is to ask Rama to let the victims go back in Sitio Warwick, Barangay Ermita to sell. The area is now being used as a parking area. —/JMD (FREEMAN)