Mandaue City Residents Hold Protest, Get Dialogue with Officials

Over 170 people, mostly displaced families, staged a silent protest outside Mandaue City Hall on Monday, July 13, demanding the city officials stop the demolition of their homes and allow them to rebuild.

The protest was held by the Marna Homeowners Association, Inc. (HOA), along with other residents' groups. They held placards bearing various messages, including 'Stop the demolition' and 'We want our homes back.'

The homes in question were torn down almost three weeks ago, leaving the affected families without a place to live. The residents are now appealing to the city officials to halt all additional demolitions and secure permission to rebuild on the property.

According to Belinda Allare, chairperson of Panaghugpong Kadamay Cebu, the residents have been told to come back to the city hall on Tuesday, July 14, for a dialogue with the Vice Mayor's office and four councilors.

'The city officials have agreed to talk to us. We will present our concerns and demands to them tomorrow,' Allare said.

Ryan Catadman, HOA president, said that the demolition proceeded without a court order or due process. He alleged that armed individuals accompanied the demolition team, who used a bulldozer, road roller, and backhoe to tear down homes, including those that were still occupied.

'Our purpose here is to stop this illegal demolition. We will not allow it to happen again,' Catadman said.

The residents have been living in the affected area since the 1980s and 1990s. They have no documents establishing ownership themselves, but they claim that the land is public timberland.

Ramonita Manatad, barangay captain of Subangdaku, said that 56 families, or over 170 people, were affected along the destroyed property line. Only 31 of them are registered voters in Subangdaku, with most registered in Cebu City.

Manatad added that the barangay still caters to the affected families since they fall within Subangdaku's jurisdiction. The residents are now hesitant to leave behind their possessions, with a number of families planning to move to Dumanjug, Cebu, but had not yet done so because the school term was ongoing.

As of Monday, July 13, the legal status of the demolition remains unresolved. Both parties have yet to present documents settling the ownership dispute. A dialogue with resident groups and the Vice Mayor's Office is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 14.

'Mao tong gitagaan namo ug kopya sa position paper ang mayor, vice mayor, mga konsehales… Pabalikon mi ugma,' Allare said.

(We gave a copy of our position paper to the mayor, vice mayor, and the councilors… We were told to come back tomorrow.)

A fire had affected more than 12 families in the area days before the demolition began. The issue remains unresolved, with the legal status of the demolition still pending.

The affected families have been left without a place to live, with some sleeping along the roadside. They are appealing to the city officials to take responsibility and provide them with emergency shelter, food, water, and sanitation facilities. They believe it is now the city government's turn to act on its responsibility to serve them.

A 2016 court decision recognized the company's right to the land, but the company has yet to present the documents to the residents.

The property's representatives moved forward with the demolition after tensions escalated earlier this year. Structures had begun appearing beyond a fenced-off area, which the firm had previously agreed not to expand.

Catadman, however, maintained that the land is public timberland. He cited findings from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the City Assessor's Office. He added that the group has no documents establishing ownership themselves but that families have lived there since the 1980s and 1990s.

Manatad also said that the property had always been known to belong to a private firm. The fir had previously agreed with the residents not to expand beyond a fenced-off area.

The residents are now waiting for the dialogue with the city officials to take place. They are hoping that the city government will take responsibility and provide them with the necessary assistance.

As the issue remains unresolved, the affected families are left to wonder what the future holds for them. Will they be able to rebuild their homes and return to their normal lives, or will they be forced to continue living on the roadside?

The outcome of the dialogue between the residents and the city officials remains to be seen. Only time will tell if the city government will take responsibility and provide the necessary assistance to the affected families.