Duterte to provide relocation area for informal bridge settlers

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said he will provide a relocation area to the families that had been living under the Governor Generoso Bridges I and II in Bankerohan if the contractors of the Davao City Water District’s (DCWD)’s pipr bridge fomally recommend that they not be allowed to return.
“Kung di nako na dayunon kinahanglan naa koy ihatag nila na lain, may kapalit para walay samok (If I cannot fulfill my promise, I need to give them something else so there would be no conflict),” the mayor told reporters on Monday.
The informal settlers had refused to leave the area to allow for the construction of the pipe bridge. Duterte had to step in and promise that they would be allowed to return after the construction is complete.
“Di man pud gud sila mohawa (They would not leave the area) so I had to. I do not want break promises to the people,” he said.
Duterte also asked the contractors to write him a formal letter regarding the matter. “If they will request for it, then we will consider, but it has to be done formally because we will be forcing people out of the way,” he said.
He said neither the contractors nor the DCWD told him there would be a problem on the maintenance of the pipes if the informal settlers return to the area.
“They never raised the issue. Dapat ana nasultihan ko nila (They should have told me) right after I uttered this (promise) in public so that I could have corrected it immediately,” he said.
Duterte said if the settlers cannot return under the bridge, he will provide them a relocation area in exchange.
DCWD spokesperson Bernardo Delima earlier told Edge Davao that the consortium of RD Policarpio & Co., Inc., Allado Construction Co., Inc., and TGV Builders, Inc. were asking to fence off the area under the bridge because it can be difficult for DCWD to work on the maintenance if there are structures under the bridge.
He said the proposal is still pending because it is the city government that will approve the fencing off of the area.
He said the DCWD will endorse the proposal to the City Mayor’s Office through city administrator Jesus Melchor V. Quitain for the approval of the fencing plan in Bankerohan.