‘Pedring’ victims in Navotas City still living in shelters

Almost three months after Typhoon “Pedring” hit the country, 1,027 families in Navotas City who lost their houses have yet to be relocated.

The affected families who used to live on houses built on stilts beside waterways until these were washed out by floodwaters have been seeking shelter at eight evacuation centers since September, Jayne Banayad, acting city public information officer, told the Inquirer Wednesday.

She said that they were expected to remain there until new houses have been built for them at different relocation sites.

“They can’t go back to where they used to live because it’s dangerous there,” Banayad explained.

“There are enough houses for them. We have to wait though,” she said as she added that the National Housing Authority had pledged 200 houses in Bulacan province for the displaced families.

In the meantime, however, as they have nowhere else to go, the families will spend the holidays in the evacuation centers.

For his part, Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco has announced plans for the construction of 50 houses in Barangay (village) Tanza, which are expected to be completed by next month.

These are on top of the 50 housing units that were recently finished, Banayad said.

According to her, 16 out of the 50 houses have already been turned over to some of Pedring’s victims.

“We are still screening the applicants who will be transferred to the remaining 34 housing units. We have to make sure they are really Navoteños,” she said.

The remaining families, on the other hand, will be relocated to Tanza, Cavite, where Habitat for Humanity has pledged to build 500 houses.

The Navotas government is also fast-tracking the construction of 240 houses in San Roque. These are expected to be completed in November 2012.