Makati clears estero of illegal settlers

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government on Thursday  announced that it has completely cleared the entire portion of the Tripa de Gallina creek covered by Barangay Bangkal of illegal structures and informal settlers.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the clearing of the estero is undertaken for the city's flood control and disaster mitigation plan.

Binay said some 536 informal settler families were also moved out of the estero with 506 families opting for relocation to National Housing Authority (NHA) housing projects in Cavite.

Binay said the clearing of informal settlers along waterways in the city was also made in compliance with the Supreme Court order to clear waterways in Metro Manila.

According to Binay, the clearing of informal settlers and illegal structures along Tripa de Gallina was vital to resolving the perennial flooding at the intersection of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and South Luzon Expressway, since it will optimize the capacity of the seven-hectare canal to serve its purpose of preventing floods during a sudden downpour or typhoon especially in the area.

The Makati City government said that to date, the Makati side of the creek located in Barangays San Isidro and Bangkal has been totally cleared, while clearing operations have started on the portion in Barangay Pio del Pilar and are almost completed in Barangay Palanan. The Tripa de Gallina creek traverses Makati and Pasay.

“Makati gives the informal setters different forms of assistance so that they could relocate the soonest time possible and get out of dangerous areas, such as the waterways,” Binay said.

“I am glad that the informal settlers are beginning to prioritize their safety and have been cooperative to the relocation program of the city government,” he added.

Under the Makati Waterways Resettlement Program along Estero Tripa de Gallina in Barangay Bangkal, 537 families were tagged and classified as follows: 218 families relocated to NHA Housing in Barangay Aguado and 288 families relocated to NHA Housing in Barangay Hugo Perez, all in Trece Martirez, Cavite. They also received P5,000 financial assistance from the city government, food assistance for five days and relocation assistance.

Makati's engineering department is also completing the demolition of concrete walls and fences erected by informal settlers along the Tripa de Gallina easement which belongs to the government. Most of the informal settlements were erected on the easement area with a few structures going over to the creek and supported by stilts.

The Tripa de Gallina creek, which has an area of seven hectares, is a vital waterway in Makati because it receives the outfall of 80 percent of the wastewater in the city.