VP NEWS
Posted:
Thursday, June 20, 2013
The National
Housing Authority (NHA) currently has 10 housing projects in various stages of
development and construction that will generate some 6,000 housing units for
informal settler families (ISFs) living in danger areas in Metro Manila, Vice
President Jejomar C. Binay said Thursday.
“We are
currently constructing 6,426 housing units worth P3.2 billion that will be used
in relocating ISFs currently living in danger zones,”the Vice President said.
Binay said
the 10 projects include the Smokey Mountain Development Project; the Tala 2
Medium Rise Building and Camarin housing projects in Caloocan City; Pleasant
Hills in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Gulayan and Tanglaw in Navotas; MMDA
Depot in Pasig City; the National Government Center housing project in Quezon
City; Disiplina Village 2 in Valenzuela; and the Navotas Housing Project.
Binay, who
chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), said the
housing units will be part of the housing relocation program for some 18,000
ISFs living in six priority waterways in Metro Manila identified by NHA that
will be cleared this year.
The Vice
President also revealed 55 percent of the ISFs identified by NHA are located in
Quezon City and Manila.
"Based
on the data gathered by the NHA from local government units in 2011, 31,275
ISFs comprising 30 percent of families are living in danger zones in Quezon
City, while 26,029 families or 25 percent are in Manila," he said.
Meanwhile,
Binay said he was in favor of sanctions against local government officials,
especially barangay chairpersons, who tolerate the proliferation of ISFs in
danger zones.
Binay said
local officials sometimes allow ISFs to return to danger zones even after they
have already been relocated.
“(The ISFs)
would not return if there is no negligence in the part of local officials,
especially the barangay captains.That is why when I was still mayor I told my
barangay captains they are the ones at fault if problems (involving ISFs)
occur," he said.
“They return
one at a time. Sometimes they arrive using pushcarts," he added.
The NHA
previously identified the Pasig River, stretching from Manila, Mandaluyong,
Makati and Pasig; the San Juan River, covering Manila, Mandaluyong, San Juan,
and Quezon City; Tullahan river spanning Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, and
Valenzuela; the Manggahan Floodway in Pasig; Maricaban Creek in Pasay, Makati,
and Taguig; and the Tripa de Gallina covering Makati and Pasay.
“These are
some of the biggest waterways in Metro Manila that we consider danger zones,”
the Vice President said.
“The rest of
the affected ISFs will be relocated in Balagtas, Bocaue and San Jose del Monte,
Bulacan and Trece Martirez, Cavite,” he added.
Binay said
aside from ISFs living in the six main waterways, the NHA will also relocate
around 1,500 families living along Estero de Sunog Apog and Estero de Maypajo
in Manila.
The Vice
President said the project is part of the P50 billion allocation made by
President Benigno S. Aquino III for the relocation of some 100,000 ISFs living
in danger areas.
______________________________________________________________
