GMA allots more land for socialized housing

President Arroyo has approved the allocation of more idle government lands to be turned into sites for socialized housing to relocate squatters or "informal settlers" occupying estero and other danger areas in Metro Manila.

Mrs. Arroyo signed Proclamation 234, dated Aug. 15, which excluded 500,000 square meters of reservation lands owned by the National Bilibid Prison at Barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa City, for the government’s socialized housing site for squatters.

The President also signed Executive Order 116 on the same date, declaring portions of a total of 1,534 hectares of land properties of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) in Camps Claudio and Atienza for disposition to "qualified occupants and beneficiaries."

Camp Claudio is located in Parañaque City, while Camp Atienza is in Quezon City.

In Proclamation 234, a copy of which was obtained by The STAR, Mrs. Arroyo cited that Environment Secretary Heherson Alvarez recommended the exclusion of the Bilibid properties from the disposition of lands for socialized housing that would benefit settlers living near esteros, waterways and other danger areas.

The President created a Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) to be chaired by Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi to formulate and adopt the appropriate guidelines for the disposition of land property for this purpose.

The LIAC is co-chaired by Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Michael Defensor with representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, and people’s and other non-government organizations.

Mrs. Arroyo ordered the LIAC to invite the concerned office of the congressional representative, in this case Rep. Raffy Biazon, to participate in its activities to further expedite the disposition of lands for the housing program.

In EO 116, also obtained by The STAR, Mrs. Arroyo set aside one hectare of Camp Claudio in Tambo, Parañaque and 0.534 hectare of Camp Atienza in Libis, Quezon City and declared these former military reservation lands as socialized housing sites.

The President in EO 116 directed the creation of an executive committee to assist the HUDCC in implementing this order. Defensor will also chair the committee.

Since these were military reservation lands, the executive committee will also have as members representatives from the BCDA and Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In the case of Camp Atienza, Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and the congressman who has jurisdiction in Libis were among the members of the committee.

For Camp Claudio, controversial Parañaque City Mayor Joey Marquez and Rep. Ed Zialcita are also members.

Mrs. Arroyo invoked Republic Act 7227 to provide funds for the development and conversion of Camps Claudio and Atienza to productive civilian use.

RA 7227 was the law that created the BCDA, which transferred to the BCDA administration and control of a substantial number of military reservations and the authority to dispose of these military camps.

It was her administration’s policy, Mrs. Arroyo said, to regularize the land tenurial status of the informal settlers in these areas and give them home ownership and shelter security instead of these former military reservations lying idle.