Talisay's urban poor

CEBU, Philippines - At Least 3,000 urban poor in Talisay city joined yesterday afternoon’s opening of THE weeklong celebration of the Urban Poor Solidarity week.

Garbed in colorful t-shirts and showing off balloons, the urban poor coming from different cluster villages marched to the city hall from the Sto. Niño Parish in barangay Mohon.

Ester Bas, president of the Federation of Talisay City Urban Dwellers Association (Fetcuda), said they have lined up several activities for the entire week to be participated by members such as livelihood training.

Bas, a first-term president, said her administration’s thrust is to provide livelihood projects to all urban poor organizations so that members can pay monthly mortgage.

“Ako karong gipaningkamutan nga tagsa-tagsa ka mga organization naay livelihood haron makadata sila sa yuta,” said Bas.

Bas, who also works at the City Housing Office, said despite the minimal dues, there are several housing beneficiaries who have been delinquent with their monthly payables because they have no income.

For starters, the Fetcuda is also set to reopen its refilling station in barangay Poblacion using first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas’s P500,000 donation, said Bas.

Meanwhile, Bas is also aiming to increase the number of housing beneficiaries during her term.

Presently, only about 35 percent of the 9,000 registered urban poor have been granted relocation sites by the government.

Another 200 members were also named new beneficiaries yesterday.

Basillote said the P10 million allocated by the council for next year’s budget goes solely for the acquisition of lot properties to be made into relocation sites for the city’s poor.

The legislator said the city will purchase more lots for the urban poor “once it can recover its investment” in other relocation sites. (FREEMAN)