More squatters setting up homes in Valenzuela danger zone

MANILA, Philippines - At least 30 more families have set up shanties underneath power lines or beside power pylons in Barangay Bignay, Valenzuela City, an official said Saturday.

The families have settled in the area declared a danger zone by the government, along with around 2,000 other families. The danger zone covers parts of Barangays Bignay and Gen. T. de Leon where power pylons have been erected as well as the land under the transmission lines. The land is also unstable since it is an abandoned quarry.

“This case of illegal settlers occupying lots under the power lines, which are danger zones, is not unique to Valenzuela, the same happened to others cities, that’s why the local government is initiating moves, in coordination with NGCP, to create measures to prevent this problem,” said city public information officer Ahna Mejia.

She said Valenzuela is host to around 12 kilometers of power lines of the National Transmission Corp. and since it is a private facility, it should be the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) – which runs Transco – that must protect its property from illegal settlers.

Mejia said Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian has already coordinated the matter to the NGCP but the city government has yet to receive an “affirmative” response from the firm.

Two persons were killed when the wall of a bridge fell on three shanties at the height of a downpour on July 3. The victims’ shanties were built well within the danger zone.

Many residents in the area are willing to leave, provided that they would be given a decent relocation site.

The city government, however, admitted that it does not yet have available relocation site for such a large number of settlers and said the NGCP should be responsible for relocating them since they own the property.

The NGCP, however, claimed that it should be the city government that must initiate the relocation process because it is what the law says.