MAHIGA CLEARING CONTINUES
AT least 30 more structures were removed from the three-meter easement zone along the Mahiga Creek in barangay Mabolo yesterday.
Noel Artes, head of the city鈥檚 demolition team, said the structures were voluntarily torn down by their owners in sitio Magtalisay. The affected families were issued notices to vacate and allowed to stay until their chapel fiesta ends.
The clearing happened barely a week after the Department of Interior and Local Government through lawyer Jesus Doque warned mayor Michael Rama against demolishing shanties without providing relocation to affected families.
The City Council yesterday passed a resolution sponsored by聽 Councilor Alvin Dizon to give Rama a copy of Doque鈥檚 letter. But Rama said the city complied with the Urban Housing and Development Act.
He said he is proposing the allocation of P10 million in livelihood capital for evicted families in the next supplemental budget, while the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor will take care of relocation. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
CITY HALL LOT TITLE FOUND
AFTER a long search, the Cebu City government finally found the title of the 4,677-square meter City Hall lot.
Government Services Office head Rolando Ardosa said City Hall鈥檚 lot title was with the Register of Deeds at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
He said they had difficulty finding the title because the property was registered under the聽聽 鈥淕overnment of the City of Cebu,鈥� not the 鈥淐ebu City Government.鈥�
鈥淎ll we have to do now is make the necessary changes in the records of the City Assessor since there has been no record of the land title.鈥�
A copy of the title showed that 鈥淢unicipality of Cebu鈥澛� owns the lot鈥攖he site of the city鈥檚 executive and legislative buildings.
When he found out that the city possessed only the tax declaration of the City Hall lot, Mayor Michael Rama ordered Ardosa to locate the lot鈥檚 missing title.
A tax declaration does not prove ownership of a property.聽 It only shows that the bearer pays聽 taxes for the subject property. /Correspondent Edison A. Delos Angeles
鈥楲ET HEAVY-EQUIPMENT WORKERS STAY鈥�
CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama should order heavy-equipment operators to stay in their work areas until their projects are complete to hasten road maintenance in mountain barangays.
Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, chairman of the City Council鈥檚 infrastructure committee, asked Rama聽 to order the operators to 鈥渞eport to the barangay captains for time-in and time-out to wherever barangay they are assigned to.鈥�
The councilor said delays in road maintenance projects聽聽 is a common concern of mountain barangay captains.
鈥淗eavy equipment operators assigned in the mountain barangays of Cebu City usually report for work at 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.,鈥� the councilor said in a July 19 letter to the mayor.
Cabarrubias said this violates the code of ethics for Cebu City employees, which requires all employees 鈥渢o perform their duties regularly and punctually.鈥�
Cabarrubias told Cebu Daily 黑料社 that the operators鈥� daily time records are kept at the engineering office beside City Hall.
They then take time traveling to the mountain barangays. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac
ROAD BLOCK IN MANDAUE
FOR the second time, a family tried to block a road in Mandaue City.
The Remedios family dug a pit where they dumped three banana trees in Pilit Road, barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City, last Tuesday聽 afternoon.
They want the Mandaue City government to pay them for their lots used for the roads.
Madaue City Administrator James Abadia said he called the attention of the claimants yesterday evening.
The Remedios family is asking for the appraised market value of the lots but the government could only offer just compensation since the lot was used long ago, Abadia said.
鈥淲e are now still negotiating with them regarding the price. We should meet halfway,鈥� Abadia.
The Remedioses cleared the road block after their meeting, Abadia said. He said the family has to聽 pay for damage on the road, which is now being fixed.
The Remedios clan first set up a road barricade of plywood, sacks filled with sand and two multicab vehicles last July 2. /USJ-R Masscom Intern Giovanni F. Garcia