Calauan mayor denies reports of prostitution in relocation areas

Calauan, Laguna Mayor Buenafrido Berris became emotional Tuesday he asked the public not to brand their municipality as a town of widespread prostitution or crime as described in an online media report.

“Ibig kong ipakiusap na wag naman sanang bansagan ang aming bayan na pugad ng prostitusyon at krimen gaya ng narinig namin sa media. Naghihinakit po ang aking mga kababayan sa paratang na ito,” Berris said in his speech during the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee.

He said his constituents were law-abiding and added there was not even a beerhouse in their municipality.

“Sa katunayan po ang mga taga-Calauan ay law-abiding at masipag. Sa katunayan po, wala pong beerhouse o bar sa bayan ng Calauan. Bagama’t malaki ang aming resettlement site, marangal ang pamumuhay dito at kami ay nagpupursige para maitaas ang kalagayan ng aming nasasakupan,” he added.

Berris was referring to an online report which showed that in one of the resettlement areas in Calauan, some of the residents were forced to engage in prostitution in exchange of food.

Calauan, a second-class municipality, is the site of some resettlement areas for the displaced residents of Manila, Pasig, Marikina, and Makati.

He said their population doubled in the recent years because of the coming in of the informal settlers from different cities in Metro Manila since 2008.

“Unang nagdala sa Southville 7, Brgy Dayap noong 2008 ay ang ABS-CBN Foundation kung saan ang proyektong Pasig River clean up; mga nasunugan sa Adamson sa Manila; nung 2009, narelocate ang mga nawalan ng tirahan dahil sa Ondoy kung saan ang mga taga Pasig at Marikina nagdala ng higit kumulang 2,000 pamilya; 2009 to 2010, nagdala ng 259 families ang Makati,” he told the committee.

Berris denied that they failed to give assistance to the relocatees in their area.

“Bagama’t may kabigatan sa panig ng Calauan ang biglang pagdami ng tao kung saan kailangan pagkasyahin ang taunang pondo para sa pangunahing serbisyo sinikap namin na  mabigay ang pangunahing serbisyo,” he said.

He said they partnered with the administrators of the resettlement areas and the National Housing Authority to address the needs of the relocatees.

“Hindi totoo ang sinasabi na sila ay pinabayaan,” he said.

Berris was called to the hearing to testify on the situation of residents of Homeville, who were relocatees from Makati. -NB, GMA News