The warning of lawyer Miguel Palma Gil, officer in charge of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development-Davao, to the public to be cautious in buying houses is timely because of what he claimed as proliferation of illegal housing projects.
In a press forum last week, Palma Gil claimed there have been illegal subdivision projects in the city and other parts of the Davao Region that have not secured permits.
Also, he said he and the city government, through the order of Mayor Sara Duterte, inspected several projects and found some them to be lacking in necessary facilities, like drainage system and roads, even as they are essential compoents.
Palma Gil claimed the number of those illegal projects has been increasing even as he said that his agency is intensifying its campaign against these projects.
Although there is no proof that proponents of these projects are into duping their buyers, it is in the interest of these buyers to only buy from sellers of legitimate projects so that their money will not go to waste.
Government agencies like that of Palma Gil and other concerned ones must also step up their campaign to run after those behind these illegal projects by not just slapping them on the wrist, but also ensure that they throw the books at those erring companies so that they will learn the lessons the hard way.
