80 ISF’s move out of San Juan danger zone as government implements OPLAN LIKAS From the Department of Interior and Local Government Without any hitch, the first 80 of the 606 identified informal settlers-families (ISFs) in San Juan City relocated to their new homes in Bulacan on Monday, August 5, 2013 just hours after voluntarily dismantling their shanties built within the danger zone on the banks the San Juan River located at Barangay Salapan. Secretary of Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas, head of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the relocation of ISFs, was at the send-off site in the opening phase of Oplan Likas (Lipat Para Iwas Kalamidad at Sakit) to move some 60,000 ISFs from the so-called danger zones in eight waterways to in-city or off-site communities. San Juan River is one of eight Metro Manila waterways that are targeted by the Task Force for dredging and widening to allow floodwaters in Metro Manila to exit into Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay. “Isang malaking konsuelo na malaman ng taong bayan na may silbi sa kanila ang gobyerno, ang pamahalaang nasyonal at lokal, na nagtutulong-tulong na mailikas ang mga informal settlers sa tabi ng mga ilog tungo sa isang ligtas na pamamahay,” the DILG chief said as the first few families pulled out of the barangay. Roxas thanked San Juan City local government officials led by Mayor Guia Gomez for the peaceful and orderly relocation of the initial batch of ISFs from San Juan. The families were ferried by AUVs and their belongings were packed into trucks as they left Bgy Salapan on the way to Barangay Muzon in San Jose del Monte, site of the government-housing program. A crew from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was at the site with instructions to move in and demolish the vacated houses. It was the first of a series of planned relocation over the next 12 months of some 19,440 families living in ‘danger zones” in Metro Manila. 20,000 more informal families will be moved on the second year and another 20,000 on the third year for a total of 60,000 by mid-2016 or near the end of President Aquino’s term. “Ang layunin ng Oplan Likas na mailigtas sa kapahamakan hindi lamang ang 19,9440 ISFs na nakatira sa mga gilid ng ilog at estero kundi maging ang 190,000 pamilya na na naninirahan sa mga bahaing lugar sa Metro Manila,” he said. The families received about P18,000 in financial assistance from the DWSD as part of a relocation package that gives them free amortization during the first year of a 25-year housing financial program. Secretary of Public Works and Highways Rogelio Singson, Secretary of Social Welfare Dinky Soliman, chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority Francis Tolentino, and San Juan Rep. Ronnie Zamora joined Roxas and Gomez in the event. NCRPO Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. and other ranking police officers supervised the security arrangements. Roxas said the resettlement of ISF families from danger areas was part of the government’s Oplan Likas with LGUs taking an active role in negotiations with the informal settlers for their relocation and the subsequent entry of DPWH and MMDA personnel to clear the vacated dwellings. “The relocation will pave the way for the unimpeded development of flood management system for Metro Manila. The vacated communities will be secured by the government and properly marked as danger zones to prevent building of structures in the future,” Roxas said. The government has identified at least eight priority waterways that have to be widened and dredged and cleared of structures: San Juan River, Manggahan Floodway, Estero Tripa de Galina, Maricaban Creek, Tullahan River, Pasig River, Estero de Maypajo, and Estero de Sunog Apog. Roxas said Metro Manila residents face health risks from floods, particularly water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, leptospirosis, and hepatitis A; and vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, hemorrhagic fever, yellow, and West Nile fever.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 13:25:41 +0000
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