300 squatter families leave Pasay waterways

More than 300 families have moved out of their homes built on “danger zones” in Pasay City, particularly along the banks of Maricaban and Tripa de Gallina creeks.

City Hall said 333 families voluntarily vacated their shanties in Barangays 177, 178, 179, 180 and 182, and had signed up for transfer to a relocation site prepared by the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Barangay Hugo Perez, Trece Martires, Cavite province.

“We want to move them from the path of danger. We also want to give them good and happy lives by giving them their own homes,” Pasay Mayor Antonino Calixto said in a statement.

Low amortization

Pasay Urban Development and Housing Office chief Paul Vega said the families were relocated by batches on Nov. 27 and 29, Dec. 4 and 6, and Dec. 11.

According to Vega, it was easy to convince the families to take the relocation plan as their new housing units were offered for low monthly amortization rates payable in 35 years, from P200 to P1,3500.

Earlier, 239 informal settler families composed of 956 individuals had been relocated to another housing project in Trece Martires, Cavite. Their relocation started in August last year.

Squatters near Senate

In September also last year, some 62 families living along a shoreline identified as a danger zone close to the Senate Building were also transferred. They were followed by 37 more families in October.

In 2012,  the national government led by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced plans to relocate around 20,000 families living along six major waterways in Metro Manila, including Maricaban and Tripa de Gallina creeks.

The relocation program is a joint project by the DILG, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the NHA, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and various people’s organizations. Jaymee T. Gamil