BACOLOD, Philippines – More than 200 families in Bacolod City, many of them impoverished, are facing displacement for occupying a property donated to the government in the 1950s. The family who donated it said it was never used the way it should have.
In 1954, the Lizares family donated nearly two hectares to the government-run Negros Occidental National High School (NOHS) for a school garden, but the property has since been occupied by informal settlers.
Residents, including Dante Danoy, the chairman of Barangay 39 in Bacolod, were served two notices to vacate on October 28 and October 31 by the provincial government, with a deadline to leave by November 15.
However, they have chosen to remain on a 7,000-square-meter plot, part of the donated property, after legal advice to hold their ground.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson told a news conference that the government intends to pursue an eviction case against the informal settlers, adding that all legal requirements have been met. He said the capitol is legally mandated to do this.
Danoy, who is among those affected, insisted the residents will not leave unless the government provides a relocation site.
Danoy said they have lived in the area for a long time. He asked, “Where will they take us?”
The 1.8-hectare property, donated by the Lizares family for a school garden, was never developed due to its distance from the main campus.
Portions of the property have since been used by various government agencies, while informal settlers occupied the remaining areas, around 7,000 square meters.
In 2012, the Lizares family sought to revoke the donation, citing the provincial government’s failure to fulfill the terms of the agreement.
A 2021 court ruling sided with the family, leading to the government’s commitment to return 7,000 square meters of land free of informal settlers.
Lacson acknowledged the complexity of clearing the site, particularly as informal settlers have lived there for years.
Although he hinted at the possibility of financial aid, he was unsure if a relocation site could be provided. – Rappler.com
