By Aurea Calica (The Philippine Star) Updated December 22, 2011 12:00 AM
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MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino led yesterday the groundbreaking
ceremony for the construction of socialized housing units in Pasay City
as part of his government's commitment to provide better shelters for
the informal settlers all over the country.
Aquino had been calling on the local government units to once and for
all relocate informal settlers especially those in the danger areas.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, who was with the
President, said 19,282 families in danger areas of Pasay (4,200), Manila
(9,082) and Quezon City (6,000) would benefit from the program with P10
billion allocation from the national government.
The President called on the beneficiaries of the "socialized housing
units" that the government had opened doors for them to have better
homes and they must take the opportunity to improve their lives rather
than go back to their previous situation.
He cited the devastation caused by "Sendong" in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan
and Dumaguete cities as well as other areas in the country and which
affected mostly those who were living in dangerous areas.
The President thanked Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto and the other
local officials for working to relocate the informal settlers as it
ranked third among those with the highest number of informal settlers in
the National Capital Region.
He said they inherited a problem that should have been solved since 1994.
Robredo said the pilot sites were selected by an inter-agency technical
working group on informal settlers organized by the President.
The LGUs were tasked to identify the beneficiaries, the proposed sites
for their on-site or in-city housing and financial capacity to pay the
monthly amortization.
Earlier, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources reiterated
its call for local government officials to give serious attention to the
geohazard maps that had been distributed to some 1,600 municipalities
and cities, and about 4,000 barangays nationwide.
Among other things, geohazard maps contain information as to the level
of susceptibility of areas to flooding and landslide, including areas
that could possibly be used as relocation or evacuation sites, in case
of calamities.
Under Republic Act No. 10121 or the Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management, LGUs are tasked to evacuate residents in flood- and
landslide-prone areas and relocate them to safe areas in times of
impending typhoon and other weather disturbances that could bring heavy
rains.
The law also requires all LGUs to have its Local Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management (LDRRM) systems and have a greater responsibility in
building the disaster preparedness of communities and institute disaster
risk reduction within their jurisdictions.
When he visited Dumaguete City on Tuesday, Aquino said the government
was ready to help address the needs of typhoon hit areas. The President
also went to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.
The President told the local officials to present their various requests
in a formal letter so that the release of the funds can be "fast tracked."
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