Residents told to vacate cemetery in five months

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government has given an ultimatum to at least 35 informal settlers occupying portions of Dona Pepang Cemetery in Barangay Tejero to vacate by June.

In a meeting last week, the residents appealed to have the demolition postponed and asked for a reblocking instead.

But Division for the Welfare and Urban Poor chief Atty. Collin Rosell said they have to destroy the structures to immediately start a redevelopment beautification project as ordered by Mayor Michael Rama.

The city government is planning to convert the 9,282-square meter Doña Pepang Cemetery at M.J. Cuenco Avenue into a heritage park.

Rosell said further that the demolition is in respond to the ejectment case ruled by the court against the owners of the structures.

“This is a long overdue project and it has to start the soonest time. We have to clear the area from illegal structures by way of implementing the ejectment case,” he said.

The affected families would be transferred to city-owned socialized housing sites in Barangay Lahug.

However, due to distance and accessibility concerns, the residents are requesting for an area nearer to the cemetery.

Rosell assured that they will look into the requests of the residents for a smooth implementation.

Before any undertakings, Barangay Tejero councilman Garry Lao said the city government, through DWUP, should further conduct consultation meetings with the affected residents.

“There should be a win-win solution before the demolition is implemented. We can’t put the lives of our residents at disadvantage for a beautification project per se,” he said.

Architect Socorro Atega, who presented the developmental and architectural plan, said the cemetery “needs development because of the sanitation problem, informal settlers, among others.”

Former mayor Tomas Osmeña, however, does not agree to the idea. Remains of several members of the Osmeña clan are in the said cemetery. Rama, though, assured that the city government will not touch the Osmeña mausoleum.

The cemetery was owned previously by the Archdiocese of Cebu, but was later swapped with a city-owned lot in Barangay Pasil. The city government then entered an agreement with the Archdiocese of Cebu to convert the cemetery into a park which will cost around P30 million.  (FREEMAN)