Dizon: On-site resettlement to help solve housing issues

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon hopes to solve issues on the city’s resettlement of over 41,000 families who are still waiting to benefit from the socialized housing program of the government.

Dizon, in his privilege speech yesterday during the council’s regular session, disclosed that from 1998 to 2012, the city government has only managed to provide resettlement to 10,462 families.  Dizon, who is the chairman of the City Council Committee on Housing, explained that for 15 years, the city has only accommodated 700 families per year in its socialized housing programs.

Dizon suggested that two policies be considered to address the matter: the “on-site, in-city” resettlement and the reference to a “people’s plan.”

 “Our settlement sites should be on site or in situations where this is not possible in the city. Furthermore, the resettlement should be conducted in accordance with a people’s plan, a proposal developed by the community being relocated itself,” he said.

One of the crucial issues in the government housing program, he cited, is on sustainability since relocation sites are located in far-flung areas which he describes as “indescribably awful” sites.

“Shoddily built, half-finished structures, without electrical power, without potable water – this unfortunately describes many of the relocation sites,” he said.

 Dizon noted Republic Act No. 7279 or Urban Development and Housing Act  of 1992, in which one component is to provide affordable housing to the underprivileged. — (FREEMAN)