A group of non-governmental organizations has proposed to the government a three-pronged strategy to relocate and create employment or income-generating opportunities for 600 displaced families affected by the recent Typhoon Ondoy in Metro Manila.

The group is headed by the Environmental and Sustainable Agri-Industrial Planners and Managers, Inc. (SAGIP Environment), in collaboration with the Council of Filipino Consultants, Inc. (COFIC), and the Organic Producers and Trade Association (Philippines), Inc.

The group said the proposal, code-named is "RISE-UP" (Relocation of Informal Settlers with Employment and Upliftment Program).

SAGIP-Environment, Inc., as the lead firm, will help implement the RISE-UP Program for informal settlers' relocation to at least 3 privately-owned sites of about 500 hectares in Norzagaray, Bulacan and elevated areas of Montalban, Rizal, with the assistance of our strategic private sector partners, the Council of Filipino Consultants (COFIC), consisting of 22 private sector consulting and practicing firms and the Organic Producers and Trade Association (Phils.), Inc. (OPTA).

The program will be expanded to 100-Hectare Module capacity to accommodate 3,000 families using the model described above. The whole program could be activated in two weeks, depending on the government’s seriousness of purpose, decisiveness and availability of funds, including donor emergency funding support.

The three-pronged strategy in sustainable resettlement are:

1. Immediate resettlement of informal settlers who are now at the temporary evacuation centers (mainly schools that need to be vacated for the resumption of classes) to permanent sites in high ground areas: Norzagaray-San Jose del Monte City area and in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal. This relocation decision by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will unclog the waterways and drainage channels and prevent the recurrence of such human tragedies in these areas.

2. Master and operational planning of the chosen resettlement areas with basic provisions for human settlements, e.g. schools, health centers, market, place of worship, sustainable food security, livelihood and employment, and access roads, drainage system, power and water supplies, etc.

3. Reforestation and sustainable development of adjoining watersheds and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges starting in the Rodriguez town. Building access roads and transforming these vulnerable watershed and protection forest areas into agro-ecotourism areas with basic amenities and facilities will remove the threats of illegal logging, slash and burn farming (kaingin), and wood and charcoal briquetting.