Tuesday, April 21, 2009 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
By Jovi T. De Leon
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Several informal settlers from Barangay Sto. Niño, accompanied by village chief Dan Bustamante, trooped Monday to the City Hall to clamor for relocations at Northville 14.
Northville 14 is the new relocation site for informal settlers and families who will be affected by the ongoing Sagip Ilog and North Rail projects of the city.
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It was earlier reported by Louie Clemente of the city's housing division that 1,300 units are now ready for occupancy and the site's construction of amenities, like a three-storey elementary and high school building, day care and health centers, have been completed, together with the provision of electricity and water lines.
Some of the informal settlers said they have not been included in the recent survey because of varied reasons, with most of them saying they were not around when the ocular inspection along Sitio PNR was done.
Clemente told Sun.Star that they gave the informal settlers a whole year to make the appeal since the time meetings and data gathering at the barangay level was done, but no pleas and opposition was raised regarding the scheme.
The first batch of informal settlers is due for relocation this May, with their dwelling sites already marked "for relocation May 5" with the corresponding Northville 14 block and lot numbers indicated.
The relocation of the affected families would be free with provisions, such as food allowances and five kilos of rice to be accorded them.
Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, meanwhile, said the City Government would find ways to accommodate the informal settlers in the relocation center.
"Definitely we would find slots for them and make available to them tenable spots. We would have to look at the requirements first but I assure them that their appeal will be taken up by the City Government," Rodriguez said.
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