North railway developer rejects relocation site

A top ranking official of the North Luzon Railway Corp. (NLRC), the government firm implementing the rehabilitation and modernization of the North and South railway systems, has announced the NLRC board’s rejection of Malabon City’s choice of a fishpond property in Tanza, Navotas as a relocation site for some 2,800 rail dwellers in Malabon.

NLRC director Jerry Pelayo, a presidential appointee to the board, presented the update on the initial aspects of the multi-billion speed railway project, a priority project of the Arroyo administration.

Pelayo said the Philippine National Railways’ right of way in Malabon, which includes Barangays Tinajeros, Potrero, Tugatog, and Acacia, needs to be completely cleared by end of July 2003 due to time constraints for the construction of the North Rail project.

"There is no way the NLRC will be unduly delayed because the Tanza property is inhabitable as a relocation site for the informal settlers ‘along da riles’ of Malabon," Pelayo said in an interview.

He said the board based the decision on the initial assessment of the National Housing Authority, which found out that the 12.6-hectare fishpond may not be suitable for relocation purposes by July 2003, the supposed start of shanty-clearing activities.

Pelayo cited three reasons why the Tanza property was rejected in a board decision: first, the area is still underwater; second, there is no right of way and third, the existence of "legal impediments" surrounding the purchase of the property.

Earlier, Luz Loro, head of the federation of affected rail dwellers warned Malabon City Mayor Amado Vicencio that they will be a headache for the city government if their shanties are demolished without being relocated to a habitable site.

"Walang demolisyon kung walang relokasyon. Magiging sakit kami ng ulo kung hindi kami maililipat nang maayos," Loro said in an interview. – Jerry Botial