• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A total of 56 families of informal settlers from Purok Sunrise, Barangay Blumentritt in Murcia have been relocated from their long-time settlement in front of a school to a new site.
The relocation followed negotiations between the local government unit (LGU), the affected residents, and the private landowner.
Murcia Municipal Assessor Randy Gamboa said the LGU intervened to broker an agreement after the landowner expressed plans to clear the area.
The LGU convinced the landowner to identify a relocation site and provide financial assistance to the displaced families, Gamboa said.
Among those affected was Alias Ana, a 62‑year‑old eatery owner whose family, including her 60‑year‑old husband and 90‑year‑old mother, had occupied the area since birth.
“We did not resist the order because we do not own the land. We also received P2,000 in financial assistance and groceries. We chose to cooperate for a peaceful transition,” Ana said.
She added that residents were informed the cleared area would be developed into a mall.
The families were relocated to Hacienda Puyas, also in Barangay Blumentritt.
Originally scheduled for late November 2025, the relocation was deferred twice to allow residents to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays and to let their children finish the school year in March.
Following the move, the LGU, led by Mayor Gerry Rojas, Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura, and the municipal council, distributed cash assistance and food packs to the families. The municipal government also deployed vehicles to help transport their belongings to the new site.
While the landowner was open to selling the occupied land to the informal settlers through collective negotiation, Gamboa noted that the occupants lacked a unified stance.
He advised the relocated families to temporarily settle in the new area while the LGU studies long‑term relocation plans and potential government interventions. | TMD
