Vice president suggests government housing loan program

With the rainy season a few weeks away, displaced Mahiga Creek settlers received some good news.

Vice President Jejomar Binay told reporters last Friday that he would  talk with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama about their plea for housing.

“That’s our job, yung problema sa housing,” said Binay.

He admitted it was his “first time” to know about the problems arising from the demolition of about 30   of 147  shanties along one of Cebu City’s main creeks.

The vice president did promise a specific solution but said he would look into the matter in his capacity as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

Binay spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the  general membership meeting and induction of officers of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) held in Marco Polo Plaza.

He was the guest of honor and in his speech lauded Cebu City as  a “model of modernization” even as he called on companies to uphold corporate social responsibility in order to lift families out of poverty.

When reporters asked him about the Mahiga Creek dispute, where settlers on Friday filed an administrative complaint against Mayor Rama, Binay said it was the “first time” he had heard of it.

Binay, a lawyer and former mayor of Makati City,   said there have been many similar cases   of urban poor settlers who went to court to stop the demolition of their houses.

Binay said he may discuss with Rama the option of a Community  Mortgage Plan (CMP), a government-backed program for low-income families.

CMP, which  is being implemented in Cebu City, allows settlers  to avail of government loans to purchase by installment the land they occupy or the land where they are relocated.

One of the main proponents of CMP is Pagtambayayong, the urban poor foundation that filed suit  against Mayor Rama for refusing to give cash aid or relocation sites to the displaced creek residents.

CMP is part of the government’s Unified Home Lending Program under the auspices of the National Home Mortgage Corp. or Pag-Ibig.

It allows beneficiaries to become homeowners by forming themselves into a  community and applying for a group mortgage for   off-site and on-site arrangements.

The on-site projects allow illegal settlers to buy the lots they occupy from the owner. The off-site projects involve relocation to another area.

Meanwhile, Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez, Pagtambayaong president,  said more complaints would be filed against Mayor Rama after 30 shanties were removed since May.

Fernandez said a civil case will be filed this week asking the court to stop the demolition.

He said he would also go after his former colleague in a complaint for disbarment before the Supreme Court.

“Even if he is a lawyer, Rama doesn’t know the law so it’s better that he be disbarred,” said Fernandez, who was Cebu City administrator when Rama was vice mayor and Tomas Osmeña was mayor.

Memorandum

Fernandez and three Mahiga Creek residents  Estrella     Arcipe, Rosita Icot and Demolimna Arcipe filed a    complaint against Rama and three other city officials before  the Office of the Ombudsman last Friday for violation of the Urban Development Housing Act (UDHA) or Republic Act 7279.

They said demolitions were done without consultation, and displaced residents of San Isidro, barangay Mabolo, who have been living by the creek for the past 20 years.

They cited the Constitution’s guarantee that “urban or rural poor dwellers shall not be evicted nor their dwelling demolished, except in accordance with law and in a just and humane manner.”

The mayor was also accused of  violating a memo of the  Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG) issued to all mayors and governors to “strictly comply” with RA 7279 specially on providing for “adequate consultation and relocation for settlers before any eviction or demolition is carried out.” Violation of  the memo has criminal and administrative penalties.