In-city housing for Metro’s poor
Hundreds of urban poor families living beside esteros in Pasay and Quezon cities, and possibly Manila, will have a first crack at the government’s in-city housing program, Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo said yesterday. The national government is prioritizing the construction of medium-rise housing for residents living near estuaries and waterways that flow from the Pasig River on the first of the five-year program to comply with laws, Robredo said. “We’ll do the ground-breaking before the end of the month in three sites in Pasay and Quezon cities,” he said in an interview. Secretary Joel Rocamora of the National Anti-Poverty Commission had earlier said that the program would be launched at the Estero San Miguel, a two-kilometer tributary of the Pasig River, near Malacañang in Manila, and villages close to the Tullahan River in Quezon City. The government is undertaking an ambitious P50-billion project to provide “in-city” housing for the more than 100,000 urban poor living near “danger zones” like estuaries and waterways in Metro Manila between now and 2016. TJ Burgonio
Free live screenings of Pacquiao-Marquez fight
BOXING fans no longer need to worry about where to watch the match between boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez for free. In Caloocan City, residents can enjoy free live screening of the match in 14 locations on Sunday. Among the designated viewing sites for the boxing match are Victory Mall in Monumento; Barangay 144 covered court; Barangay 152 covered court; Barangay 163 Sta. Quiteria Elementary School; Barangay 166 Kaybiga covered court; Barangay 168 Deparo covered court; Barangay 171 Bagumbong High School; Barangay 174 Camarin High School; Barangay 176 Phase 1 covered court; Barangay 176 Phase 7 Pag-Asa Elementary School; Barangay 176 Phase 10 Indiana court; Barangay 178 Camarin Elementary School; Barangay 179 Amparo covered court and Barangay 187-188 Glorietta covered court. Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri said the local government provided additional venues as he anticipated local residents filling up all the free viewing sites. Apart from Caloocan, the city government of Marikina will also offer free live telecasts of the much-awaited bout this Sunday at 9 a.m. in two different venues, the Marikina City Hall Freedom Park and in the Parang Playground Basketball. Marikina Mayor Del de Guzman said the free screening of the fight was intended to show the local government’s support for the “Pambansang Kamao” in his rematch with the “El Dinamita.” Niña Calleja
Parañaque OKs revised property values sked
PARAÑAQUE’s Sangguniang Panlungsod has approved Ordinance No. 11-11, which prescribes the schedule of values for land, building and improvements in the city. The ordinance approved last Oct. 13 is in compliance with Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2010-01 of the Department of Finance and the Department of Interior and Local Government, which enjoins all provinces, cities and the municipality of Pateros in Metro Manila to conduct a general revision of property assessments in their jurisdictions. The city assessor earlier submitted a proposed schedule of values to the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Before acting on the proposal, the committee on ways and means directed the city council secretary, Lino Sandil, to conduct consultative meetings with the city assessor. Draft Ordinance No. 11-031, which proposed a much lower schedule of values than that submitted by the city assessor, was then filed. The committee on ways and means then conducted public hearings for four consecutive days at the San Antonio Gym. As a result of the hearings, the committee decided to further lower the schedule of fair market values. Sandil expressed hope that the people of Parañaque would accept the approved schedule of fair market values, which, he said, was very much lower than the actual value of land in the city. Another ordinance is being drafted for senior citizens who cannot afford to pay the increase, he said.