Gov. Gwen Garcia has assured residents of Sitio CRCI in Barangay Apas, Cebu City that the implementers of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project cannot evict them unless their relocation site is ready.
Residents of CRCI (Cebu Rehabilitation Center Inc.) are currently occupying Capitol-owned lots beside the NFA regional headquarters along Mariano Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Banilad just beside the bustling Cebu IT Park.
According to Gov. Gwen, the BRT project implementers are eyeing this CRCI area as a potential site for one of the BRT’s bus stations.
To give way to this development, Gov. Gwen said CRCI occupants will be relocated to Capitol-owned lots in Brgy. Kalunasan, a planned move that was welcomed by the affected residents during their meeting on July 6 at the Capitol Social Hall.
The governor assured them that their relocation area would first be ready before the BRT team can demolish their houses.
To recall, the Department of Transportation, under the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is fast tracking the completion of the BRT project in Cebu City by the end of this year in order to help ease the worsening traffic condition in the city.
During Thursday’s meeting, Kalunasan residents who are also occupying Capitol-owned lots were also present.
With the help of Pag-IBIG Fund, Capitol is selling these lots to the occupants through the agency’s affordable and long-term financing terms.
Gov. Gwen and Pag-IBIG Fund are scheduled to meet again with Kalunasan and CRCI residents to finalize their agreement on the lot sale and re-appraised value of these lots.
| Carlo Lorenciana