‘Favoritism’ in picking who can return after Aug. 8 fire

CEBU, Philippines - Some Sitio Palma, Barangay San Roque, Cebu City residents victimized by fire last August 8 have complained that though their homes were not situated beside a road or a creek, they were excluded in the list of families allowed to rebuilding their dwellings in the same place.

Ronaldo Paragele, 44, said his father Placido was not in the list of residents who could construct their homes again in the same lot.

Placido, Ronaldo said, has lived in Sitio Palma for over 50 years and that the old man’s house was located in the middle of the area, which is sandwiched between a road and a creek.

Ronaldo blamed San Roque Barangay Captain Lediore “Boy” Miranda as purposely excluding his father from the list.

“Ang balay sa akong papa diha g’yud mahimutang sa tunga-tunga nga bahin gikan sa karsada ug gikan sa sapa apan ngano nga wala man tuguti ang akong amahan nga makatukod og balay? Ang uban hinuon diha nga inahan og druglord naapil,” Ronaldo said.

For his part, Miranda denied the allegation, saying it is the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor that chose the names in the list.

DWUP Chief Collin Rosell, on the other hand, explained that the inventory of fire victims in Sitio Palma showed that there were over 100 families whose houses were razed by the fire and after the reblocking only 69 of them can be accommodated.

Rosell encouraged the Parageles to visit him at his office so he could properly explain to them the procedure how DWUP chose who were allowed to go back and rebuild their homes.

The space where the fire victims can construct their houses has become smaller because City Hall personnel have built a sidewalk beside the road while the three-meter easement zone of the creek was strictly enforced.

Those who could not be accommodated in Sitio Palma may be transferred to any of the city’s relocation sites. (FREEMAN)