Govt plans to move 20,000 squatters yearly away from flood-prone areas

Published August 14, 2012 11:00am

A government inter-agency body plans to remove some 10,000 to 20,000 informal settlers in Metro Manila annually away from flood-prone areas, particularly those residing near waterways, Interior and Local Governments Secretary Jesse Robredo said Tuesday.

The statement came a day after Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson told a press briefing that President Benigno Aquino III had given orders for the removal of houses put up illegally on various waterways. "I just received instructions from the President that [if] push comes to shove, we will have to blast ‘yung mga kabahayan doon kung hindi pa sila aalis within a certain period," Singson said. In an interview over radio dzBB, Robredo said: "Taon-taon between 10 to 20,000 ang ililipat natin. Ang pangulo bago nagdaan ang habagat, nag-ikot kami sa Pasig River...Naghanap tayo ng lilipatan nila along the river, private property o government property na pwede kunan ng pamahalaan."

Robredo heads an inter-agency body to relocate illegal settlers in danger zones. The task force includes the following agencies:

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority,
Department of PUblic Works and Highways,
National Housing Authority, and
Department of Social Welfare and Development.

He said Aquino has given the task force a funding of P10 billion a year to relocate the informal settlers, with priority given to on-site resettlement. The government will look for "in-city" and "near-city" relocation sites before resorting to the resettlement of affected families to provinces.

30,000 squatters

Robredo said the government's priority was to move some 30,000 squatters living near the easement near the waterways.

He said the task force has started clearing the easements to esteros to ensure the smooth flow of water, including floodwaters, to waterways.

He noted that about 100,000 informal settlers are residing at the easement of the esteros.

Warning to barangay officials Meanwhile, Robredo also warned barangay officials that they will face charges if they allow squatters in cleared areas to return and reestablish their houses.

"Ang primary responsibility ng enforcement ng Building Code sa lugar si Kapitan. Kung may problema, kasama siya... Ang makakakita ng ganitong pangyayari si Kapitan. At siguro maging malinaw kung may tumayo, 'di pinaalis, o report sa building official, kasama ito sa pananagutan," Robredo said.

He said the government has given the families slated for relocation some form of "social preparation" in the last six months. Local government officials in the proposed relocation sites were also consulted, he added. - VVP/YA, GMA News

Tags: squatters, floods, metromanila, manila, dswd