House to work on helping poor families in Parola, Manila get land titles —Arroyo

Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday said she will ask Negros Occidental Representative Albee Benitez to form an oversight committee on housing to facilitate the awarding of titles to urban poor beneficiaries in the Parola area of Manila.

Arroyo reportedly made the announcement as she led the awarding of Certificate of Land Awards (CELAs) to 80 beneficiaries in Parola, Binondo.

In a statement, the former President vowed to help some 5,000 urban poor families get their land titles in the Parola area, both in Binondo and Tondo.

“Magpapa-convene tayo ng Oversight sa Committee on Housing kay Cong. Benitez para maayos natin ang mga titulo ninyo,” she was quoted as saying.

The statement cited Presidential Proclamation 581 issued by Arroyo in March 2004, which "set aside" more than five hectares in Parola in Tondo and in Binondo "for socialized housing for the informal settlers in the area."

The awarding of titles, however, was reportedly "delayed as several government agencies had laid their claims over the property."

“Nalaman ko na pinag-aagawan pala ng DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) at PNR (Philippine National Railways) kasi kapag nabayaran na ninyo ang inyong lupa sino raw ang tatanggap ng pera? DENR ba o PNR?" Arroyo said.

She also mentioned that the Binondo side of Parola "is also experiencing the same problem because a portion of the land is being claimed by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)."

The House Speaker said she has instructed Manila Rep. Yul Servo and Manuel Lopez to coordinate with Benitez to convene his oversight committee on housing to summon the said government offices and other attached agencies to "thresh out" the issues with respect to the land titling in Parola.

”Hingin natin sa Chairman ng Housing, si Albee Benitez na tawagin ang GSIS, ang PNR at ang DENR sa Kongreso sa ganon doon na mismo ayusin natin ang pagmamay-ari at doon na mismo na ipaliwanag natin sa GSIS na ang tanging pwede nilang bentahan ng lupa ay yung mga maralitang nakatira doon,” she said.

Confident that the oversight committee hearings will be held "despite the start of the campaign period," Arroyo maintained that she is not after any government position.

“Muli hindi ako naghahabol ng kahit anong pwesto, tapos na ako. Hinahabol ko na lang ang mga puso ninyo para maalala ninyo ako pagkababa ko sa pwesto,” she said. — Margaret Claire Layug/MDM, GMA News