City government moves to oust Baguio squatters

P3.5-M set to fence Gibraltar property

BAGUIO CITY – The city government is now moving to rid the city of squatters particularly at the city-owned property in Barangay Gibraltar allotting P3.5 million for fencing of the area to prevent further encroachment by unscrupulous persons.

City General Services Officer Romeo D. Concio said survey of metes and bounds of the property was completed and will be submitted to City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO) for preparation of specifications for the fencing project.

This, as concerned city hall offices will conduct joint investigation relative to the existence of informal settlers that built their structures within the government property to guide authorities on future actions to take to spare the property from being squatted upon.

Part of the activities that will be undertaken by the City General Services Office, in coordination with the CBAO, will be building monuments within the government property which will serve as guide for those who will prepare the plans and specifications of the fencing project in ascertaining the proper boundaries of the property.

City Legal Officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes urged concerned offices of the local government to take steps in preventing encroachment being made by informal settlers into the government property considering it is adjacent to Wright Park, one of the major tourist destinations in the city.

Concio cited need for the local government to be aggressive in protecting the government properties, especially the lands, to prevent the assets from being squatted upon by informal settlers who want to gain at the expense of the city.

According to him, one of the problems encountered by the office in the completion of the survey is the absence of a permanent surveyor assigned to perform the said task which should have been completed earlier but he is still optimistic that the local government will be able to immediately fence the property the soonest.

The detailed plans and specifications for the fencing project will be forwarded to the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) that shall subject the project to public bidding in order to determine the complying and responsive bidder that will be in charge to implement the fencing project.

Concio appealed to squatters to cooperate with local government in the implementation of the fencing project so the government property will be spared from informal settlers that might result to further complications if they opt to fight it out with the city once it decides to pursue the project.

The project will be pursued by the city government in coordination with concerned agencies to save the remaining government properties from being invaded by squatters.