Informal settlers in 38 Manila barangays must give way

The construction of the P23.3-billion North Luzon and South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) connector project will affect 3,500 informal settlers in 38 barangays in Manila, the local government said as it served notice to the families who may be asked to relocate soon.

The eight-kilometer road project will extend the NLEX southward, from the end of Segment 10 of C3 Road in Caloocan City to PUP Sta. Mesa in Manila.

It will affect 1,043 privately owned lots with a total land area of 87,174.61 square meters, City Hall said in a recent statement.

The new road will also connect the common point of Skyway Stage 3, running mostly along the Philippine National Railways track, with interchanges on C3 in Caloocan City and España in Manila.

Affected districts

Based on estimates made by NLEX Corp., 85 percent of the road alignment would pass through 38 barangays in Districts 2, 3, 4 and 6.

Construction will start in 2018 and is expected to be finished by 2020.

A detailed time table for the construction is expected to be provided by NLEX next week.

The city government will handle the traffic management during the construction.

Mayor Joseph Estrada said he would fully support the project since it would ease traffic in the metropolis, and committed to help the builders in the acquisition of road right-of-way and in relocating affected informal settlers.

But Estrada stressed that the affected families should be given relocation sites before demolitions could proceed.—AIE BALAGTAS SEE