Sixty-five homeowners affected by the demolition for Segment 3A of the Metro Cebu Expressway have yet to receive their right-of-way compensation, even though their properties were destroyed as early as 2019 for the project.
Residents confront officials during presidential visit
On Monday, June 22, 2026, unpaid residents gathered at the construction site in Barangay Cantao-an, Naga City, to personally air their grievances to national government officials during the visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
However, the residents were only able to speak with the legal representative of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 7 regarding their concerns.
Following their appearance, the agency scheduled a formal meeting with the homeowners on Tuesday, June 23, at the DPWH 7 office in the South Road Properties (SRP) to discuss the long-pending compensation.
A resident's story: Nena Dadol
One of those affected is Nena Dadol, 58, who expressed the pain and frustration felt by families displaced from their homes.
“I was really waiting,” Dadol said.
Dadol, a native of Masbate, moved with her family to Cebu in 2017 to ensure medication for her child who needs mental health treatment. She bought land in Barangay Cantao-an because it was still cheap at the time, but the government demolished their house for the expressway project in 2019.
While some of her neighbors have already received compensation, Dadol said she has not received anything to this day. She also recalled her deep sadness after a major road collapse at the project site in October 2023.
“Honestly, when that collapse happened, I cried. My crying was not because I was afraid that my child might get sick again, but because I would have difficulty starting over,” she said.
Despite advice from her group not to attend the President's visit, Dadol chose to stay near the site to ensure that their situation and their demolished homes would be seen and heard.
“I said, whatever happens, as long as they know why I came here,” she added.
“It’s really not easy. They just say, 'Just wait,' they keep saying 'Just wait,' but we are the ones who are not trusted,” Dadol said.
