Noli to help city gov't develop relocation sites
City Mayor Jerry Treñas said Vice President Noli de Castro has assured help in developing the 16 hectares relocation site owned by the city in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro to accommodate the thousands of families living in the "danger zones."
Treñas said he is set to meet with the vice president and other officials of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) this week to formalize the plan. The vice president's plan to help the city in its relocation site was made during his recent visit to Iloilo City.
Aside from the HUDCC, the Department of Public Works and Highways through Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane likewise wanted to help. The relocation site needs roads and other amenities before it will be opened for the beneficiaries.
Treñas wanted to develop first the San Isidro relocation site. The city has other relocation sites in Barangay Sooc, Mandurriao and in Barangay Balantang, Jaro.
Treñas said each hectare can accommodate 120 families. Families who are living in river banks and creeks should be placed in the priority list for the relocatees.
Treñas said as much as possible he wants to transfer the families affected by typhoon Frank. The transfer of the typhoon affected families to the relocation site is part of the rehabilitation efforts of the city government. The families whose houses were destroyed by flood waters should consider their safety, he said.
Most of the families whose houses were destroyed are living along the river banks and creeks. Records from the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao) showed that there are 3,296 families living on waterways and 1,984 in the shoreline and public domain. They comprised the 9,668 informal settlers in the city. There are also 2,166 families living in the road easement and abandoned Philippine National Railways properties, 1,010 in the government properties (titled) and 1,212 in the private lots.