Mayor Rivera prevents demolition of 16 houses

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (01 February 2014) - Intervening in behalf of 16 affected families, City Mayor Ronnel Rivera has ordered a postponement of scheduled demolition of houses and shanties in connection with a road construction project.

The houses were situated in the target line of on-going circumferential road in Barangay Apopong.

Pio Lumungsod of DPWH-12 said the houses to be demolished are within the 60-meter area of Madada Property in Apopong where the circumferential road is set to pass thru.

Mayor Rivera called a meeting with the Department of Public Works and Highways 12 (DPWH-12), B.C.C. Contractors, Atty. Armando Clarin, City Councilor Arturo Cloma and the concerned families on Wednesday (January 30) to immediately settle the problem.

Mayor Rivera said that he does not want any demolitions to happen during the course of the project, as he emphasized that the circumferential road should benefit the constituents of the city, not the contrary.

"We are here in the local government to assist the people in their needs and such problems should not be hastily solved through demolitions. There should be a discourse and a consensus by all the stakeholders," Rivera said.

Mayor Rivera assured the affected families that he will prevent any notice of demolitions as long as they will meet halfway with the DPWH and B.C.C Contractor to create a "win-win situation".

Jarodin Mada Ali, one of the affected families said that he is happy with the speedy response of the mayor to their concern.

"I am glad that Mayor Rivera personally helped us to settle our concerns. It would have been hopeless for us if the mayor is not there," Ali said in vernacular.

A follow up meeting with the same group will be held on February 3 for the finalization of their decision.

The said land is previously owned by the Ali family, which was acquired by the local government of General Santos City through road right-of-way.  (GENSAN INFO OFFICE/Ian John M. Lagare)

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