1,800 Manila creek-dwelling families up for relocation

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim ordered yesterday the relocation of about 1,800 families living along the creeks in Manila, to Bulacan and Laguna.

City Engineer Armand Andres said the informal settlers to be transferred to a site provided by the National Housing Authority (NHA) are those along the banks of Estero de San Miguel, Estero de Quiapo, Estero de San Sebastian, Estero de Uli-Uli and Estero de Caviles in Calauan, Laguna and San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan.

Andres said the relocation would be done in batches, the first of which will consist about 800 families.

“No target date was given yet as to when the informal settlers in the esteros and when the shanties will be demolished. What was agreed upon only was the number of families that will be relocated,” he told reporters.

Andres gave assurance that the affected families will be provided livelihood assistance even as he allayed fears that the relocation site is not a suitable for them.

He said the relocation of families living in esteros is part of the rehabilitation of Pasig River and in line with the city government’s plan to implement a flood control project this year.

The relocation of informal settlers along the six major creeks in Manila was agreed since last Feb. 2 by the city government, Metro Manila Development Authority, Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and NHA.

The affected families however appealed to Lim not to relocate them to distant provinces.

Members of the Nagkakaisang Mamamayan sa Legarda (NML), who live along the stretch of Estero de San Miguel, said they will oppose their transfer to Bulacan and Rizal as part of the clean up drive of the Pasig River.

NML president Felomina Cinco said they also met with President Aquino last Dec. 23 with regards the issue and presented to him housing designs appropriate for the esteros.

The house designs, made by urban planning and design consultancy firm Palafox Associates, were intended to give creek-dwellers a decent place to live in without interfering in the cleanup of Pasig River.

“He (President Aquino) listened to our housing proposal and we talked to different agencies including PRRC and the city government of Manila regarding our alternative solution which is to live in new housing in the same places,” Cinco said.

Cinco said the DILG has formed a technical working group to study the estero housing designed by Palafox Architects.

“That’s why we are surprised with the reports that 1,800 estero dwellers will be evicted. From the beginning we opposed relocation,” she added.