"We will ensure the peaceful, orderly, and humane relocation of informal settlers affected by the Northrail Development Project.”
This was the assurance given by Vice President Noli "Kabayan" de Castro, concurrent chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), in a recent meeting with members of "Bantay Riles sa Kongreso" who included AKBAYAN Citizens’ Action Party Representatives, Rep. Mario "Mayong" Joyo Aguja, Rep. Loretta "Etta" Ann P. Rosales, and Rep. Ana Theresa Hontiveros Baraquel.
"Bantay Riles," comprising 17 members of the Lower House, expressed concern over the "imminent order for demolition in Malabon City affecting 4,000 families despite the fact that the government and the affected residents have not yet agreed on a relocation site."
De Castro said that HUDCC is adopting a beneficiary-led and in-city relocation (whenever feasible) approach, to resettle the nearly 7,000 families occupying the Caloocan-Malabon segment of the Northrail project.
The following options are being offered to the relocatees — a P
50,000 financial grant or resettlement lots with housing material loan and livelihood assistance in Barangay Bignay (for Valenzuela segment) and a P50,000 grant or Towerville in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan (for Malabon segment).
The Vice President said that those who are availing resettlement lots shall have various entitlements including serviced lots (P100,000), housing material loan (P40,000), loan for labor to construct individual houses (P10,000), livelihood assistance loan (P25,000), cash assistance (P1,000), food assistance from DSWD (P1,000), community facilities (P10,000), and trucking/hauling assistance (P10,000).
Those availing the R50,000 housing financial grant will be provided counseling by the Philippine Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP), NHA, and LGUs in the area of livelihood assistance, access to credit, and organizing for land purchase and acquisition.
The Vice President recently visited the Towerville resettlement site in Bulacan and said: "I envisioned Towerville as a model for humane settlement and a sustainable and economically viable community… it has potentials."
Even as government is pursuing an incremental development approach in relocating the informal settlers, he stressed HUDCC will ensure that all the requirements of resettlement community will be considered such as space planning, zoning and re-blocking, health and educational facilities, opportunities for livelihood, appropriate social and spiritual interventions to support the resettled families.
