[ manilastandardtoday.com ] September 11-12, 2010
About 1,000 squatter families in danger areas will have their shanties demolished unless they resettle in Rodriguez, Rizal, said a Quezon City official.
Secretary to Mayor Tadeo Palma gave the ultimatum to victims of typhoon Ondoy in September last year who have continued to ignore repeated warnings against a similar flooding.
“Most of the families are not amenable to relocation. They are not cooperative in terms of documentation, thus delaying the processing of their housing slots” he said, setting demolition for next month.
Mayor Herbert Bautista said there would be no new squatters in his term of office but vowed to look after the city’s relocation backlog estimated at 1.2 million people.
Palma, who was designated by Bautista to head the QC Task Force on Housing, said at least 2,068 slots were available at the National Housing Authority sites in Southville 8B, San Isidro and Kasiglahan Village 1B, San Jose both in former Montalban.
Also given priority are Barangay Damayang with 789 squatter families; Barangay Sto. Domingo, 60; Bahay Toro in Proj. 6, 50; Bagumbayan, 200 families; and Tullahan Creek, 120.
Palma said the Urban Poor Affairs Office has been instructed to remind the settlers of the coercive measures under the Urban Development Act of 1992.
“The government would like to help them to have a decent shelter. If they would not avail of this rare opportunity, they should be prepared to face the consequence of forced demolition,” he said.
Palma said city hall is coordinating the resettlement drive with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council along with Meralco, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, and Maynilad. Roy Pelovello
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