For transitional housing project: DWUP exec worries losing P600m budget

CEBU, Philippines — The executive director of the Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor (DWUP), lawyer Butch Librando, warned that the P600-million allocation for the city government’s transitional housing project will be reverted to the general fund if not utilized as soon as possible.

Librando said the project must be awarded to a winning bidder already to keep the funds obligated. The amount was allocated following the City Council’s approval of the first Supplemental Budget in March.

Despite the availability of the funds, the city government failed to proceed with the bidding due to the lack of the needed terms of reference (TOR) for the project. A TOR is a document that outlines the parameters and expectations of a procurement task or project.

Librando explained the city was not able to come up with a TOR pending the determination of the location of the project.

The transitional houses are supposed to be constructed on a vacant property at the South Road Properties (SRP) but the city government decided to transfer it to Block 27 at the North Reclamation Area after the SRP Board opposed the project.

“Wala man ni approve ang SRP Board kay ang SRP naa man diay ni’y Land Use Plan so dili siya mo fit. Ang napili sad nga yuta kay commercial man…So mao na ang among Plan B kay sa North Reclamation (Area),” Librando said.

The Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) had been asked to draft the TOR so it can be submitted to the City Council for scrutiny. With less than three months left before the year ends the city government needs to speed up the bidding for the transitional housing project.

“Kahibaw baya mo basta maabtan ta og December, basin mo-end na ang budgeting ug dili na siya magamit kay ma-revert na balik sa general fund,” Librando said.

Librando’s sentiment was also shared by the members of Task Force Pabahay.

“Gi-take up na namo siya kay ang among concern kay hapit na mo end ang year,” Librando said.

The transitional housing project is supposed to serve as temporary shelters for informal residents that will be affected by the city government’s continued efforts to recover the three-meter easements along waterways.

Without an area to transfer these informal settlers, the Task Force Gubat sa Baha cannot proceed the massive clearing operation to address the flooding problem in the city.

Aside from easement settlers, residents living along communities set for demolition and those permanently evacuated from calamity-prone areas are also prioritized for the transitional housing.

Librando said that informal settlers who will be relocated to transitional houses will also be given priority as potential beneficiaries for local and national socialized housing programs such as the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino once available. — (FREEMAN)