Urban development continues to attract squatters
ECONOMIC developments can attract squatters looking for “easy money” in a progressive urban center. And with the threat of dislocation is their hope that they will consequently be fortunate to be given relocation sites.
Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) chief Roy Firmeza associated the burgeoning population of squatters to fast developments in the metropolis.
This, even as the Iloilo City Council has considered a moratorium on the purchase of lands as relocation sites for squatters here.
The proposed ban cropped up after several councilors questioned the “return of investments,” actual number of qualified recipients and repayment scheme of relocatees.
“Are they saying a moratorium on development, too?” Firmeza quipped.
Basing from 2007 structural census, Firmeza said there are 13,700 households considered as informal settlers or 15 percent of the city’s total 84,000 households.
He said City Hall has P13million available budget for land acquisition.
The Iloilo City Government is scouting for P450million for the relocation of 2,910 squatter families nesting along the riverbanks and waterways here surveyed as of December 2006.
Firmeza said the existing available relocation sites can accommodate 2,872 households though he added the remaining 38 households will only need 3,000 square meters.
The Icupao chief noted that each recipient relocatee is provided with 56-60 sq m.
There’s an urgent need to relocate these squatters because of the dangers posed by flashfloods even as majority of them have been displaced when typhoon Frank stirred the city two weeks ago.
The relocation sites development is scheduled to start in August until December 2009.
Several project-affected families who have been relocated earlier were spared by the deluge that washed out over a thousand houses along the danger zones. These include those along the highway in Barangay Dungon, Mandurriao affected by the road widening project serving as kick-off point to the new Iloilo Airport in Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan towns.
Meanwhile, all in all, squatters in the city may benefit from a combined budget of P450 million coming from the flood control project, City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO), Office of Congressman Raul Gonzalez Jr. and Gawad Kalinga.
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-6) Engr. Jerome Borjal, project manager of the P4-billion Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP), said P293million was allocated for developments of a total 24-hectare relocation sites intended for affected families. This includes the construction of a P50-million two-lane concrete bridge at San Isidro site. These relocation sites and their specific budgets are: P162 million for 16.2-hectare in Barangay San Isidro, and P56million for 5.6-hectare in Barangay Lanit both in Jaro district; and P25million for 2.5-hectare in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo.
The CSWDO, on the other hand, calculate that P133million is needed for its core shelter assistance project that will benefit 1,900 families.
The development of Gawad Kalinga housing units is estimated at P18million for 300 house units to be put up by the city government while Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. earmarked P6million for 100 housing units.
Jeehan V. Fernandez, The Daily Guardian
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