More than 200 residents of Barangay Buhang Taft North in Mandurriao district have cried foul after the Iloilo Scholastic Academy (ISA) fenced off the only access road connecting their homes to the main street—leaving them stranded and Iloilo City Hall eerily quiet.
Mayor Raisa Treñas and other city officials have yet to issue statements or take actions on the community’s appeal, a silence that residents said deepens their frustration and sense of abandonment.
Likewise, the administration of the Iloilo Scholastic Academy has not yet released a statement explaining its decision or responding to the residents’ plea.
Around 85 households, located behind Park Inn by Radisson, have depended for decades on a narrow pathway that cuts through ISA’s property. But in September, the school began fencing off the area, citing its ownership of the land.
“We’ve lived here for more than 30 years, and this is the first time we’ve ever been cut off like this,” said Janice Galvez, president of the homeowners’ association. “We’re not asking for ownership—just a right of passage. This is the only road we have.”
According to residents, ISA initially gave them until October 9 to find an alternate route before fully sealing the passage. After a series of talks, Barangay Captain Napoleon Militar said the school extended the deadline to November 4, allowing them to construct an alternative road.
“Since it’s private property, we can only ask for more time. I’ve used my personal funds to start filling an alternate route with sand and gravel,” Militar said, adding that he has also sought assistance from the Iloilo City Government, though none has been granted so far.
For years, the disputed path has been the community’s lifeline—flood-prone but reliable—serving as the only link for workers, students, and residents heading to markets and public transport.
Now, with the school determined to close its gates and the local government yet to intervene, residents say they feel caught between private ownership and public neglect.IMT
