DWUP demands probe into Pagtambayayong "Anomaly"

CEBU, Philippines - The Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) will endorse to the City Legal Office the complaint of the Kamagayan Neighborhood Homeowners Association Inc. (KNHAI) against Pagtambayayong Foundation for an alleged anomaly in the implementation of the housing program in the city’s relocation site in Canduman, Mandaue City.

DWUP Chief Collin Rosell said that the KNHAI has been forwarding their complaint to DWUP but his predecessor allegedly did not take the time to validate the allegations.

When he visited the relocation site in barangay Canduman, Mandaue City where the KNHAI members were relocated from barangay Kamagayan in 2000, he was told by the residents that the lot was offered to them on the condition that they must also purchase the house that shall be built by Pagtambayayong.

The residents also complained that their payment of almost P2 million went only to Pagtambayayong and not the City Government.

As a result, some of the residents that have fully paid and asked the city government for the title of the property or any proof of ownership were only told that the city allegedly could not provide them the documents because first, there was no approved subdivision plan and that the residents have not been paying the city for the lot.

The residents tried to trace where their payments went and compiled all the receipts that were issued by the Pagtambayayong Foundation all amounting to P1.658 million.

The residents questioned why their payment was collected by Pagtambayayong instead of the City Government.

In earlier interview, Pagtambayayong President Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez said that they only collected the money that was for the construction of houses.

He said that representatives from KNHAI went to their office and asked them to build houses which they did because it is their job to help people avail of affordable housing. If they have received P2 million, he said, it only means that they built houses worth P2 million.

Fernandez said the money they received was used for the construction of houses and it shall be treated separately from the failure of the DWUP to collect the payment for the lot from the residents.

But Rosell said that the residents told him otherwise. The construction of houses by Pagtambayayong was made a pre-requisite to avail the housing program.

They also could not find a formal Memorandum of Agreement or contract between the City Government and Pagtambayayong Foundation that authorizes the latter to build houses at the site.

“No formal agreement was made allowing Pagtambayayong to do business in the city-owned property,” Rosell said.

He said he will have the city legal office look into the legality of Pagtambayayong’s coming into the picture without a formal agreement.

Fernandez is not threatened by any investigation against them and said they will continue to help the urban poor.

The relocation site in Canduman Mandaue City was purchased by the city government through a grant from former President Joseph Estrada. — (FREEMAN)