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For San Juan informal settler, new home is new life
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Starting life anew was all 37-year old Marilou Talisic could think of as she, her husband Noel and two children left their house along the San Juan River on Monday and boarded a barangay service vehicle that brought them to their new home in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
“Bagong buhay, bagong pakikisama, bagong tahanan,” Marilou told GMA News Online in front of their new Bulacan house.
Marilou's family was among the first of the 87 households in Barangay Salapan, San Juan City who voluntarily demolished their house and availed of the government's offer to be relocated to San Jose del Monte Heights in Muzon, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
The Talisic family don't have much as evidenced by their things packed in sacks. A cabinet, a couple of monobloc chairs, and a Sto Niño were loaded into a truck provided by the city government of San Juan to ferry the residents.
Behind Marilou is the truck that brought their things to Bulacan. Photo by Amita Legaspi
As to the bareness of the unit they will be occupying, Marilou said it is alright with them as they are used to living a simple life.
“Konting ayos lang. Hindi naman kami maluho,” she said while her husband was bringing their things inside their new house.
The 22-square meter housing unit assigned to Marilou's family has a bathroom and kitchen sink. The unit is also loftable or has a space to put a second floor.
“Konting ayos lang. Hindi naman kami maluho,” she said while her husband was bringing their things inside their new house.
The 22-square meter housing unit assigned to Marilou's family has a bathroom and kitchen sink. The unit is also loftable or has a space to put a second floor.
Marilou's daughter inside their new house. Photo by Amita Legaspi
Marilou, who used to work as a janitress, said they can now buy a sofa and other appliances since they now have a place they can call their own.
“Dati kasi sa isang kwarto lang kami, nakikitira sa mga magulang ko. Ngayon sarili na namin ito. Makakapagpundar na kami,” she said.
She plans on setting up a sari- sari store to augment their income. “Tutal may panimulang budget, gagamitin ko para sa paninda,” she said referring to the P18,000 family assistance fund her family received from Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Her husband Noel, a messenger in Pasig City, earns P9,000 a month. He has a motorcycle provided by his company as a service vehicle.
Marilou's children, aged seven and 12, were endorsed to the San Jose Elementary School, some 50 meters away from the relocation site.
Told of the complaints of some who have transferred to the relocation site, such as a lack of water and electricity and cracks on their houses, Marilou just shrugged.
“Walang reklamo ako ngayon. Ang mahalaga mababawasan ang kaba namin tuwing umuulan,” he said.
National Housing Authority general manager Chito Cruz acknowledged the complaints of some of the residents and said they were addressing them.
“In-approve na ng LWUA [Local Water Utilities Administration] na magkaroon ng local water district dito. In a month's time magkakaroon na ng tubig ang lahat ng kabahayan. Sa kuryente, hinihintay na lang natin ang poste ng Meralco na itatayo,” he said.
He added that he will have the cracks on the housing units checked.
At present some households were getting their water from a deepwell, or else purchased water from refilling stations. Meanwhile some houses only have electricity from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
But for 47-year old Angelita Rasonable who transferred in the relocation site in March, their main problem is the lack of economic opportunity in the area.
“OK lang yung tirahan. Ang problema namin dito e yung hanapbuhay, dagdag-kita. Kaming mga babae nganga lang dito, walang ginagawa,” Angelita said despite the fact that she is manning a sari-sari store.
DSWD Secretary Corazon 'Dinky' Soliman said they were coordinating with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the local government to provide the residents with livelihood training.
She also said they will be conducting counselling sessions to help beneficiaries manage their finances.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, for his part, said agencies will be meeting every month to address the problems of the residents.
Thousands of illegal settlers around Metro Manila are expected to be relocated in the coming weeks due to the government's revitalized campaign to clear waterways to address perennial flooding problems especially acute during the rainy season. The relocation is expected to be finished in 12 months.
Government records show that of the 19,940 families living along waterways, 1,150 are from San Juan.
San Juan River is one of the eight priority waterways that need to be declogged and cleared as part of the government initiative to solve the flooding problem. The others are the Manggahan Floodway, Estero Tripa de Gallina, Maricaban Creek, Tullahan River, Pasig River, Estero de Maypajo, and Estero de Sunog Apog. — DVM, GMA News
“Dati kasi sa isang kwarto lang kami, nakikitira sa mga magulang ko. Ngayon sarili na namin ito. Makakapagpundar na kami,” she said.
She plans on setting up a sari- sari store to augment their income. “Tutal may panimulang budget, gagamitin ko para sa paninda,” she said referring to the P18,000 family assistance fund her family received from Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Her husband Noel, a messenger in Pasig City, earns P9,000 a month. He has a motorcycle provided by his company as a service vehicle.
Marilou's children, aged seven and 12, were endorsed to the San Jose Elementary School, some 50 meters away from the relocation site.
Told of the complaints of some who have transferred to the relocation site, such as a lack of water and electricity and cracks on their houses, Marilou just shrugged.
“Walang reklamo ako ngayon. Ang mahalaga mababawasan ang kaba namin tuwing umuulan,” he said.
National Housing Authority general manager Chito Cruz acknowledged the complaints of some of the residents and said they were addressing them.
“In-approve na ng LWUA [Local Water Utilities Administration] na magkaroon ng local water district dito. In a month's time magkakaroon na ng tubig ang lahat ng kabahayan. Sa kuryente, hinihintay na lang natin ang poste ng Meralco na itatayo,” he said.
He added that he will have the cracks on the housing units checked.
At present some households were getting their water from a deepwell, or else purchased water from refilling stations. Meanwhile some houses only have electricity from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
But for 47-year old Angelita Rasonable who transferred in the relocation site in March, their main problem is the lack of economic opportunity in the area.
“OK lang yung tirahan. Ang problema namin dito e yung hanapbuhay, dagdag-kita. Kaming mga babae nganga lang dito, walang ginagawa,” Angelita said despite the fact that she is manning a sari-sari store.
Despite the sari-sari store she ran, Angelita Rasonable's main complaint about the relocation site was its lack of economic opportunity. Photo by Amita Legaspi
DSWD Secretary Corazon 'Dinky' Soliman said they were coordinating with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the local government to provide the residents with livelihood training.
She also said they will be conducting counselling sessions to help beneficiaries manage their finances.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, for his part, said agencies will be meeting every month to address the problems of the residents.
Thousands of illegal settlers around Metro Manila are expected to be relocated in the coming weeks due to the government's revitalized campaign to clear waterways to address perennial flooding problems especially acute during the rainy season. The relocation is expected to be finished in 12 months.
Government records show that of the 19,940 families living along waterways, 1,150 are from San Juan.
San Juan River is one of the eight priority waterways that need to be declogged and cleared as part of the government initiative to solve the flooding problem. The others are the Manggahan Floodway, Estero Tripa de Gallina, Maricaban Creek, Tullahan River, Pasig River, Estero de Maypajo, and Estero de Sunog Apog. — DVM, GMA News
