BACOLOD CITY (PNA) — Mayor Evelio Leonardia has made assurances that the city’s acquisition of the 58-hectare Arao property will accommodate as much as 6,000 informal settlers in the city.

Leonardia expressed optimism that site development will be finished earlier than its expected date of completion.

“Its going to be a big community,” said Leonardia.

The Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) has already released an initial R129,069,820 from the City’s P250-million deposit in the bank for the city government’s relocation site project.

The site will augment the city’s existing relocation site in the 38-hectare Abada-Escay property in Barangay Granada.

Each squatter-beneficiary will be benefitted a 64-square meter lot in the Arao property.

The 250-square meter distributed previously to each squatter-beneficiary in its previous relocation site has been reduced to 120-200 square meters.

Leonardia said the reason for such reduction is that the City hopes to accommodate more squatter families in the new relocation site.

The city government plans to concretize the road from Granada highway going to the site to facilitate transport flow to the area.

To date, the city has 2,000 squatter shanties subject for demolition urgently needing mandatory relocation.

“Whoever sits city mayor is obliged to provide relocation for his or her constituency,” stressed Leonardia. “There is no escaping that as it is the responsibility of the city government to answer the needs of the people.”