The Controversial Apas Demolition

Central Command was an American Headquarters during World War II. It is preserved many years ago by the Filipino soldiers. Now, the government wants to transfer the camp to Balamban as the rumor spread throughout the soldiers in the camp. But some people confirmed it because of the news. The houses build outside the camp will also be affected. The "squatters" are now worried due to the demolition and relocation issues.

The owner of the lots affected by an impending demolition in Barangay Apas, Cebu City has filed a motion to oppose the move of the Four Roses Neighborhood Association Incorporation to have the writ of demolition quashed.(http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=602636&publicationSubCategoryId=107)

Mariano Godinez said in his motion for opposition that the residents are “nothing but professional squatters having admittedly occupied the premises for 50 years more or less, without paying any rental or anything and bereft of any agreement with him as the registered owner by way of leasing or selling the premises to them.”.(http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=602636&publicationSubCategoryId=107)

For Godinez, the defendants are, clearly, “occupants and builders in bad faith.”. (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=602636&publicationSubCategoryId=107)

But the affected residents, which are about 168 families, immediately filed a motion to quash writ of demolition. They occupied the lot decades ago, thinking that the national government already expropriated it. It was even declared a socialized housing site by the Cebu City Government through an ordinance approved in 1999.

But it turns out that the government was not able to pay in full, so the original owner moved to recover his property, which was upheld by the court. (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=602636&publicationSubCategoryId=107


Mayor Mike Rama wants the families to stay longer until the City finds a relocation site. The affected families personally talked to the mayor about their difficulty in finding new place to build their homes. But some residents will voluntarily vacate the place.

Until now, I heard some rumors about the threat to the "squatters" that somebody will burn up the houses of of the Sitio San Miguel, Apas Cebu City. I also heard about their hatred and anger to the governor Gwen and spread this "Nganung manghilabot man sila sa mga pobre intawn oi, wa na silay laing lingaw dra! Dapat maka-pobre na sila, mga dagkong tae!"

I was born to a poor family and I understand their stand but maybe the government wants the lot because it will help the poor to find job. The demolition is said to be due to construction of a big Cebu City Call Center.

History Of Sitio Pangutana, Barangay Apas

The barangay’s first name was “Pangutana”. Since the place was originally the home of military men, the residents were not permanent. Unlike today’s soldiers who are provided with houses for their families. So it was always a practice for wives of these soldiers to inquire on location of their husbands inside the camp. “Pangutana” a Cebuano word means inquiring on something. It was the practice that the place got first name “Pangutana”.

Afterwards, the situation had changed. Now, the wives wanted to be nearer to their husbands. The wives and children who were from faraway places had to travel to Cebu and stay close to the camp. They transfer to Cebu in hundreds, so everyone could recognize.

As a result, the name “Apas” meaning to catch up or to be near. Theportion of Barangay Apas (Sitio Pangutana) is still adjacent to the military property. Only a fence separates the camp from Sitio Pangutana. The camp was later become a command called Central Command (former Visayas Command-VISCOM).

The place was also next to old Cebu Port. This was where the Military Camp was located, hence the wives of the Military Men would arrive in front of the main gate, inquiring about the whereabouts of their husbands, thus the name Pangutana, and as the wives cope up with their husband, the name Apas was born. Pangutana was identified the main gate of the camp while Apas was identified the barracks or quarters and seven original communities and were generally accepted and officially adopted by the Barrio Council and residents. The names Pangutana and Apas are historically linked together; that one can exists alone and separately. Today the Military Camp is knows as Central Command (former Visayas Command