The mini-play Oli Impan, staged on May 8, 2026, during Pasiaw sa Alimpatakan by the University of Cebu–Main Campus Performing Arts students, did more than tell a story on stage. It exposed a truth many in Cebu know but often ignore: when development moves in, the poor are usually the first to be pushed out.
A Reflection of Power Dynamics
As a political science student, I saw the play not only as a performance but as a reflection of power dynamics. It made me think about who decides the future of a place, who benefits from land, and who is forced to leave when that land becomes valuable. For some, land is an investment; for others, it is a home. That disparity is where the injustice begins.
The Painful Question
The painful question raised by Oli Impan is simple: when families are removed from their homes, is there ever a real plan for where they will go?
Displacement in Cebu
This reality is not far from what has been happening across Cebu. In Barangay Calamba, Cebu City, 81 families were displaced after a court-ordered demolition. The City gave each family P30,060 in cash assistance because no immediate relocation site was available. Legally, financial assistance may be given when relocation is not possible right away; morally, however, we should ask if money can truly replace a home.
The answer is no. Cash can pay for food, temporary rent, or transportation, but it cannot replace a neighborhood. It cannot bring back the convenience of having a school within walking distance for a child. It cannot restore the peace of mind that comes when a family knows exactly where they will sleep at night. A demolished house is not just a broken structure; it is a broken routine, a shattered memory, and sometimes a broken future.
Another Case in Paknaan
Another recent case is in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, where at least 205 families are expected to be displaced due to the fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge project. The bridge is meant to ease traffic congestion between mainland Cebu and Lapu-Lapu City, but reports show that relocation planning and assistance have yet to be finalized before construction moves forward. This highlights the sharp contradiction of development: the city surges forward, while some families are asked to step aside into uncertainty.
Legal Requirements
Under Republic Act 7279, also known as the Urban Development and Housing Act, evictions and demolitions involving underprivileged and homeless citizens strictly require notice, consultation, and adequate relocation — whether temporary or permanent. This means relocation should never be an afterthought. It should not come after the bulldozers; it must be part of the blueprint from the very beginning.
The Kinalumsan River Case
The plight of the families near the Kinalumsan River serves as another stark reminder. In 2024, 18 of 200 informal settler families reportedly planned to sue Cebu City and government officials over allegedly broken relocation promises after being displaced by a flood-control project. That is the heavier truth: sometimes the poor are not only displaced, but they are also left waiting for promises that may never be fulfilled.
A Human Issue
Oli Impan is an eye-opener because it reminds us that demolition is never just a legal issue — it is a human issue. Development should not mean treating low-income families as mere obstacles. A city is not truly progressive when it builds grand bridges but leaves its people homeless.
Before any house falls, there must already be a dignified place where people can begin again. Otherwise, what we call progress is merely comfort for some and displacement for others.
