ITS still ‘all systems go’ for the construction of the Seafood Processing Plant this year in Dagupan despite initial setbacks on account of the refusal of squatters in the target venue to leave and be relocated.

According to City Engineer Virginia Rosario, chairman of the Task Force on Housing and Urban Resettlement, the city will apply the full force of the law to remove them from the area.

The land in sitio Russia in Bonuan Boquig consisting of 4.5 hectares is part of the foreshore area of the Lingayen Gulf which the occupants claim to have secured through Tax Declaration Certificates. These same certificates are now the subject of a cancellation process initiated by the city government.

Rosario said at least one to two hectares will be needed for the processing plant to be built from the financial grant of $1.1 million dollars made available by the Korean government (through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICO) through the initiative of then House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.).

“We are just awaiting the order of Mayor (Alipio) Fernandez to start the demolition,” said Rosario, pointing out that the informal settlers in the area had already been notified to vacate the place since January this year.

She said the task force already gave the residents there till July 31 to vacate the area and move to the Gawad Kalinga Bangusville Housing Project in Bonuan Gueset where 30 units have been reserved for them.

According to Rosario, since they refuse to move out and after sufficient notices had already been given them (informal settlers), the city will have no alternative but to assert its authority.

There were initially 65 structures standing in sitio Russia, but 46 of which were destroyed in the aftermath of Typhoon Cosme on May 17.

Rosario noted that some houses in the area actually serve as vacation houses for affluent families in Baguio and other cities who claim they bought “rights” to the houses and land from still unidentified people. These owners’ had used the ‘rights’ as basis for applying for land titles with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Rosario reported that the informal settlers who refuse to vacate the area are led by one Francisco Caoile who claims they have documents to show that they had been legally occupying the place for many years now. —LM

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