Funds ready for City Hall condo project

CEBU, Philippines - Pag-IBIG Fund is ready to assist in the construction of the two condominium buildings at the Citi Center Complex in Barangay Kamagayan, according to Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor head Collin Rosell.

Rosell made the clarification after the residents affected by the clearing operation conducted by the city government in the area questioned the demolition. The residents said the demolition was questionable because there is no available fund for the project.

The two condominium buildings to be constructed in the area are intended for the City Hall employees and qualified residents in the barangay.

Section 28 of the Republic Act 7279 or the “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992” provides that demolition may be allowed “when government infrastructure projects with available funding are about to be implemented.”

“Ang funds pirmi ana dugay ng nagtigom ang mga empleyado (of city hall) sa funds. Naa sila’y (city hall employees) kaugalingon nga contribution (to Pag-IBIG) nga kon dili sad nila gamiton, magproblema sad ang Pag-IBIG kay ang kwarta naa nila niya walay mogamit,” Rosell said.

In fact, the members of the City Hall Employees Housing Cooperative are willing to be part of this program.

“Klaro mana siya…600 karon ang members sa housing cooperative. Ang kanang 600 pursigido mo sud gyud sa program,” Rosell said.

“So kon magstorya ta og ready ba ang funds para ana, atong balihon, ready na ba ang yuta para sa funds,” he said.

He added that there are City Hall employees who do not have a house in the city.

According to Rosell, the estimated budget for the project is P750 million to P1 billion. Furthermore, he also said that the re-blocking starts today after the clearing operation was completed.

Kamagayan Barangay Captain Raquel Avila earlier said the purpose of the demolition is to clear the area for the reblocking. She assured that the residents could go back in the area after the operation.

Members of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement started the demolition in August 18. The residents affected in the demolition filed a civil case in court against the city government.

Lawyer Benjamin Militar, counsel of the residents, said the government did not follow the rules in the conduct of the demolition. Militar cited Ordinance No 2356 known as “An ordinance Imposing a Moratorium on Demolition in the City Center Complex, Cebu City” which imposed certain conditions for demolition. Among the conditions is that there should be a consultation with the settlers.

Rosell said there was consultation prior to the demolition and the residents themselves wanted it.

“Klaro mana nga naay consultation, series man gani. Ang tanang mga tawo ngadto nanaug unya giistoryahan nato,” Rosell said.— (FREEMAN)