Noy leads groundbreaking for government housing project in Pasay

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino led yesterday the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of socialized housing units in Pasay City as part of his government’s commitment to provide better shelters for the informal settlers all over the country.

Aquino had been calling on the local government units to once and for all relocate informal settlers especially those in the danger areas.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, who was with the President, said 19,282 families in danger areas of Pasay (4,200), Manila (9,082) and Quezon City (6,000) would benefit from the program with P10 billion allocation from the national government.

The President called on the beneficiaries of the “socialized housing units” that the government had opened doors for them to have better homes and they must take the opportunity to improve their lives rather than go back to their previous situation.

He cited the devastation caused by “Sendong” in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and Dumaguete cities as well as other areas in the country and which affected mostly those who were living in dangerous areas.

The President thanked Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto and the other local officials for working to relocate the informal settlers as it ranked third among those with the highest number of informal settlers in the National Capital Region.

He said they inherited a problem that should have been solved since 1994.

Robredo said the pilot sites were selected by an inter-agency technical working group on informal settlers organized by the President.

The LGUs were tasked to identify the beneficiaries, the proposed sites for their on-site or in-city housing and financial capacity to pay the monthly amortization.

Earlier, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reiterated its call for local government officials to give serious attention to the geohazard maps that had been distributed to some 1,600 municipalities and cities, and about 4,000 barangays nationwide.

Among other things, geohazard maps contain information as to the level of susceptibility of areas to flooding and landslide, including areas that could possibly be used as relocation or evacuation sites, in case of calamities.

Under Republic Act No. 10121 or the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, LGUs are tasked to evacuate residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas and relocate them to safe areas in times of impending typhoon and other weather disturbances that could bring heavy rains.

The law also requires all LGUs to have its Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRM) systems and have a greater responsibility in building the disaster preparedness of communities and institute disaster risk reduction within their jurisdictions.

When he visited Dumaguete City on Tuesday, Aquino said the government was ready to help address the needs of typhoon hit areas. The President also went to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.

The President told the local officials to present their various requests in a formal letter so that the release of the funds can be “fast tracked.”