100 families evicted from homes in Navotas take over nat’l road

Around 100 families evicted from a privately-owned lot in Navotas City last week have taken over a portion of a national road in Barangay North Bay Boulevard North.

Since Thursday, the displaced residents have been building makeshift shelters on Lapu-Lapu Street near the Navotas fish port, blocking traffic flow.

Aside from lamenting their eviction from the 1,000-sqm private lot without prior notice, they also complained about the lack of a relocation site as provided for under the 1992 Urban Development Housing Authority (Udha) Law.

In a recent dialogue with affected residents, officials from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said they were hard-pressed to provide relocation options for them.

Among other problems, the displaced families do not qualify for the DILG’s housing program for informal settlers residing in danger zones and waterways.

“Their case is a clear manifestation of a shortcoming in housing policy because court-ordered demolition victims are not considered a priority under the government’s socialized housing program,” said Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin who also attended the talks.

Ric Domingo, former Presidential Commission of the Urban Poor commissioner, meanwhile, added that the families should have been entitled to a 45-day notice on top of financial assistance and relocation from the government as provided for under the law.

NHA project manager Juancho Corpuz said they would talk to general manager Marcelino Escalada about looking for houses within Metro Manila for the evictees.

According to the residents, all that they have gotten so far was P1,000 in assistance per family from local officials.

Since most of them work in the Navotas fish port, they have asked that they be relocated near the area.