City Hall to decide where to relocate Apas fire victims

CEBU, Philippines - The fate of more than 30 families whose houses were included in the fire in Barangay Apas Monday afternoon lies on the decision of the Cebu City government. 

This after finding out that they will not be accommodated in the relocation site that will be provided by the Cebu Province.

Executive Assistant to the Mayor Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez said the initial plan of the province is to shoulder only the 87 families, who are the original settlers affected in the establishment of roads in the area as part of the IT master plan of the province.

The province owns the fire-stricken area.

“Sa initial nga na-meetingan, there are families aning 87 nga original nga naa sa list who are not fire victims. So, ato papod na i-address kay atong i-prioritize ang all fire victims bisan apil sa relocation or not,” Fernandez said.

It was Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega who clarified that 76 out of 87 house owners were affected by fire that razed the houses in the barangay last Monday afternoon.

Ortega said the province will relocate the families in Barangay Kalunasan.

He said the city government will shoulder the relocation of the fire victims who are not included on the original list.

Fernandez said the city government has yet to settle the relocation issue of the fire victims who will not be given relocation by the province.

There was a plan before to establish roads as part of the development of the IT park.

Sought for comment, Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman said he will wait on the evaluation of the province as to who will be accommodated in the relocation.

Ayuman expressed support though on the pronouncement of Mayor Tomas Osmeña that no one should be displaced because of the fire incident.

In the meantime, he said families affected by the fire are temporarily staying in day care centers of the barangay and the open area at the Department of Science and Technology.

“Ang province, sa meeting namo, niingon nga naa pay evaluation. Dili ko ganahan mo preempt pod sa decision sa province, sila man tag-iya sa yuta. Naa pa tay series of meetings next week,” he said.

Ayuman said he has yet to see the plan of the province to establish roads in the barangay.

If the establishment of the road will push through, at least 70 percent of the fire victims are affected and will be relocated. (FREEMAN)