Housing execs reject Tanza resettlement site for rail dwellers

After waiting interminably for the controversial 12.6 hectare fishpond property in Tañza, Navotas to be filled up and reclaimed in time for the relocation of Malabon rail dwellers displaced by the North Rail Development Project, housing officials have been convinced to drop the site because the railway systems’ developer can no longer wait for it to be made habitable by the property owner. Officials said they are now scouting for more viable alternative sites in Malabon.

"Tanzaville in Navotas will not be used anymore. The filling and reclamation of the property (still underwater and unfit for immediate occupancy and habitation) will take some-time," National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Edgar Pamintuan told The STAR yesterday. The official said they will be looking for other sites within Malabon instead. He said that dropping Tanza as resettlement site is the most practical and less expensive option as any further delays will adversely affect the timetable of the North Luzon Railway Corp. (NLRC), the railway developer, now several months behind schedule due to relocation problems.

Tanza was approved by the Malabon City government as the perfect site in April 2002 and has plunked down a P12.5 million down payment to the owner of the property who promised to reclaim the fishpond into solid ground within the year for occupancy of some 2,800 families along the railways in five barangays of Malabon. A year has passed and the property is still half-submerged in brackish water.

In mid-June, NLRC had indicated it would begin demolition of the shantyhouses along da riles in July but has delayed the proceedings to give time to the property owner, Mario Siochi, to make good on his promise. At the same time, NLRC director Jerry Pelayo said the board has rejected the same Tanza property as relocation site because for one thing, it was underwater and plagued by legal impediments.

Clarita Lopez, president of Samaril, one of eight raild weller-organizations eyeing to be relocated to Tanza, said they have not been told officially by authorities, including Mayor Amado Vicencio, about the new developments.

"Tatanggapin namin anumang sasabihin ni (Secretary Michael) Defensor, kung kakausapin kami sana sabihin nila ang totoo. Hinihiling po namin sa inyo, Sir Mike, ang totoo. Kahit masakit, basta totoo, matatanggap namin. Mabuti ang ganito kaysa paasahin nyo kami sa walang katiyakan. Wag n’yo naman kaming paglaruan," pleaded Luz Loro, vice president of Samanari, another one of the eight concerned organizations, in an interview yesterday with The STAR. – Jerry Botial