DHSUD preparing relocation of NCR housing beneficiaries

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Wednesday had a meeting with concerned agencies for the relocation of the beneficiaries of the Marcos administration’s housing program.

Among the agencies that attended the meeting were the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Metro Manila Council (MMC).

MMC president San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora expressed support for the DHSUD as it starts to seek possible "staging areas" for the housing program.

“Ano po ba ang nagiging problema namin kapag nagkaroon ng paglipat ang ating mamahayan? Kadalasan, nagkakaroon ng resistance dahil napapalayo sila sa kanilang tahanan,” Zamora said.

(What are the problems when we relocate our citizens? Most of the time, experienced resistance because they will be far from their original homes.)

“Kapag nagkaroon tayo ng staging areas, hindi na po kailangan nila na lumayo pa. Doon mismo sa site kung saan sila dating nakatira at kung saan gagawin ang kanilang pabahay, doon na rin po ang staging areas,” he added.

(When we have staging areas, citizens do not need to be far from their original homes. The staging areas and the housing program units will be located in or near their original houses.)

DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said they are now working on identifying the staging areas for the housing program of the Marcos administration.

“Ang tanong na lang saan po iyong staging areas. Kaya pinaguusapan din namin iyon. Baka puwedeng bawat site may staging area,” he said.

(The only question now is where the staging areas are. That is why we also discussed that. Maybe we can have a staging area for every site.)

“Hindi kamukha noong araw, kung magkakaroon ng staging area, malakihan. Ngayon, madali na, container na lang,” he added.

(Unlike in the past, if there will be a staging area, it is massive. Now, it is already easy, only containers.)

MMDA acting chairperson Romando Artes said the Metro Manila mayors will come up with an inventory of informal settler families and government-owned open spaces or suitable areas as staging sites. 

“We will create a Technical Working Group that will be closely working together for the submission of LGUs’ inventories of all available and suitable lands for the program,” Artes said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News