Mandaue eyes financial aid for Sitio Marna families as relocation site remains unavailable

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The Mandaue City Government is considering providing financial assistance to qualified residents displaced by the demolition in Sitio Marna, Barangay Subangdaku, as it has no available relocation site.

City Councilor Atty. Carlo Fortuna said city officials earlier met with Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano to discuss the situation in Sitio Marna, with financial assistance emerging as the most viable option for affected residents.

Fortuna said the proposal, including the amount of assistance to be given, is still under deliberation and will be announced by the mayor once finalized.

READ: Sitio Marna residents seek Mandaue gov’t aid over house demolition

According to Fortuna, Mandaue’s limited land area and high property prices make it difficult to establish a relocation site. He said relocation areas are more likely to be found in neighboring localities.

“Atoa gyud option is really providing financial assistance kay wala man gyud tay relocation site. It’s difficult for Mandaue City to find one,” said Fortuna.

(Our option is really to provide financial assistance because we do not have a relocation site. It is difficult for Mandaue City to find one.)

He also said city records indicate that most of those affected are not Mandaue residents, with many reportedly registered in Cebu City. He said the city intends to prioritize assistance for displaced residents who are from Mandaue.

Residents of Sitio Marna staged a picket rally in front of Mandaue City Hall on Monday morning, July 13, calling on the local government to stop the demolition being carried out by a private company and allow them to rebuild their homes.

The protest came nearly three weeks after the demolition of more than 100 houses began on June 24. Residents urged the city government to provide immediate financial assistance, shelter materials, temporary relocation, and a halt to the demolition.

On July 8, the Marna Homeowners Association submitted a position paper alleging harassment, threats, and legal violations during the demolition. The group also requested to deliver a privilege speech before the Mandaue City Council.

Fortuna said the City Council reached a consensus that the residents’ appearance before the council was no longer necessary because the Office of the Mayor and the Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO) were already addressing their concerns.

Fortuna said residents raised several concerns, and the city is looking into the relocation issue through possible financial assistance since no relocation site is currently available.

Fortuna also acknowledged that the property involved in the demolition is privately owned and that the demolition was carried out based on a court order issued in 2016.

He said the age of the court decision does not affect its validity, explaining that the prevailing party may still return to court to seek its execution or obtain a demolition order.

“It’s really privately owned. Klaro naman kay naay court order. Even if there are some technicalities on how the demolition was executed, it doesn’t remove the fact that the property is owned by a private corporation,” Fortuna said.

(It’s really privately owned. It’s already clear because there is a court order. Even if there are some technicalities in how the demolition was carried out, it doesn’t remove the fact that the property is owned by a private corporation.)

Fortuna said rebuilding houses on the property is unlikely because it is privately owned and the rights of the property owner must be respected.

READ: Mandaue halts private demolition over legality concerns

On concerns over how the demolition was carried out, Fortuna said the local government had no direct participation because the process falls under the jurisdiction of the courts. He explained that demolition proceedings involve court-issued writs and pre-demolition conferences attended by the concerned agencies before implementation.

He also urged both parties to respect the legal process, saying any issues regarding the manner in which the demolition was conducted should be addressed through the proper court procedures to ensure an orderly resolution.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Read Next

Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.