By Arlie O. Calalo
11/01/2011 [ tribune.net.ph ]
The Quezon City government has identified at least 4,228 informal settler families (ISFs) residing along waterways and road right-of-ways as the city’s priority for relocation next year, Mayor Herbert Bautista said yesterday.
Of the total ISFs, 2,235 families are living along creeks and riversides, Urban Poor Affairs Office chief Ramon Asprer said in his report to the city chief executive.
Some 850 ISFs along Calamiong Creek in Barangay Bagong Silangan have been offered priority in the relocation program, the officials said.
They cited recent incidents where heavy rains often caused Calamiong Creek to overflow, sending flash floods across the community.
The city government will also be relocating ISFs with dwellings along San Juan River in Barangay Damayang Lagi, Timex in Barangay Santa Cruz, Nissan in Barangay Tatalon, Lagarian Creek in Barangay Obrero, Ermitanyo Creek in Barangay Mariana, Abra Creek in Barangay Ramon Magsaysay, Road 5 Creek in Proj. 6, Araneta Creek in Barangay Masambong, creekside in Barangay E. Rodriguez, Dario Creek in Barangay Bahay-Toro, Diliman Creek in Barangay Roxas and SSS Tullahan Creek at Barangay North Fairview.
Bautista said also given priority by the local government in the relocation program are some 2,000 ISFs living on road right-of-ways, which are vulnerable to being hit by vehicles.
ISFs occupying road right-of-ways along BIR Road, Barangay Central; Cazrdiz Street, Barangay Tatalon; Liwanag and Pook dela Paz Streets, Barangay Old Balara; Pansol center island, Barangay Pansol; Bernardo Park in Barangay Kamuning; NIA Road near Postal side in Barangay Pinyahan; Araneta Avenue, Barangay Manresa; Sto. Domingo and Mauban Streets, Barangay Manresa; and along Sto. Domingo Street in Barangay Manresa, will also be included on the priority list.
The city government has identified Site 4 Southville 8-B in Barangay San Isidro in Rodriguez, Rizal as resettlement sites for ISFs and IKI Southville 8-C in Rodriguez, Rizal and Towerville Phase 6 in Barangay Gaya-Gaya in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan as alternative resettlement sites.
This year, UPAO has relocated about 1,587 ISFs in the three resettlement sites designated by the National Housing Authority (NHA), Asprer said.
City’s Public Affairs Information Services Office chief Greg Banacia said the Bautista administration’s development goals are focused on providing more livable communities for the local residents, especially informal settlers living in danger areas, such as sidewalks, roadways, waterways, under transmission lines and on water pipelines.
The city government expects to generate more funds for socialized housing in the next five years as a result of the signing into law of the QC socialized housing tax ordinance last Oct. 25, the Paiso chief said.
Bautista has been quoted as saying: “The problem of poverty and informal settlements in Quezon City is huge. But, we can help make this challenge manageable through the pathways of collaboration and teamwork among ourselves.”
_______________________________________________________________
