AS the target date for the start of construction of the P100 million Processing Plant on July 1 nears, informal settlers in Sitio Russia are making a new demand: cash in addition to house and lot at the resettlement area. But no amount was specified.

Dagupan City officials were aghast at the new demand and said the illegal settlers have already been given many concessions in exchange for their acceptance to relocate voluntarily.

The new demand was forwarded to City Legal Officer George Mejia and City Engineer Virginia Rosario last Thursday during the continuation of the preliminary hearing on the civil case that the informal settlers filed against Dagupan City before the sala of Regional Trial Court Judge Genoveva Maramba.

The demand of the group was rejected outright, according to Mejia.

He said that aside from the house and lot for each household at the relocation site, Gawad Kalinga Bangusville II located in Sitio Korea, Bonuan Binloc, livelihood projects are also being planned for them.

The relocation site is now 90 percent complete, said Rosario, head of the Task Force on Urban Resettlement.

The Sitio Russia settlers have yet to move to the relocation site but Rosario said the start of the construction of the Seafood Plant will push through as scheduled.

Notices of electric disconnection have been issued to the settlers, but their request for an extension has been granted by the Dagupan Electric Corp.

Prior to the lapse of the extended deadline, the settlers, with the help of some militant organizations, issued a manifesto branding the city government anti-poor and vowing to fight if their houses are demolished.—LM

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