Pesante-USA Update 0107

July 30, 2007



Gov’t to evict 15,000 squatter families by end of GMA term

The Daily Tribune

7/31/2007

Manila-- Before President Arroyo’s term ends or within the next three years, the government intends to evict and relocate some 15,000 poor families occupying road-right-of-ways and waterways in the metropolis.

An inventory by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) showed a total of 84,000 families living along waterways and roadways out of the 726,906 squatter families in Metro Manila.

Organized last July 20, the Metro Manila Inter-Agency Committee (Mimiac) composed of representatives from the MMDA as lead agency, National Housing Authority (NHA), local government units and other government and private agencies concerned, is set to remove 15,000 illegal settlers from waterways and roadways yearly as an offshoot of Mrs. Arroyo’s directive to address the relocation of squatters from areas classified as “danger zones.”

The Mimiac members were present during last Thursday’s regular Metro Manila Council meeting held at the MMDA office where they expressed confidence that they would be able to evict the targeted 84,000 squatter families by 2010 by starting the removal of 15,000 of them yearly in 2008.

Mimiac members were given their respective job delineations to carry out the plan, according to MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando, who said he does not foresee any setback in the government’s drive to remove the informal settlers.

The NHA has initially allocated 3,000 lots in Calauan, Laguna, as relocation site for the 15,000 evictees.

NHA has been tasked to take charge of census surveys, pre-qualification of beneficiaries and funding requirements.

On the other hand, the MMDA will undertake the clearing operations, the Philippine Commission on Urban Poor will handle consultation meetings and advocacy, while the local government units will provide corresponding assistance in funding and other logistics requirements.

Among the 2,000 squatter colonies that have been prioritized for eviction and relocation are those at the Edsa/NHA Triangle property (304 families), Commonwealth Avenue (417 families), Commonwealth Avenue (NGC side road widening – 450 families), Ramon Magsaysay cor. Santos Street (61 families), Barangays Masambong and Manresa on Araneta Avenue (216 families), Port Area, PPA and 15 lateral roads to Bonifacio Drive in Manila (552 families). Ben Gines Jr.

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