Some 1,180 informal settler families in Las Piñas to get housing units in Cavite next year

From news.pia.gov.ph:

QUEZON CITY, Dec 17 – The year 2017 will be a year of new beginnings for a total of 1,180 informal settler families(ISFs)living along waterways in Las Pinas City who will be safely sheltered in brand new housing units in the 51,226-square meter project relocation site in Barangay Timalan,Naic,Cavite.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael D. Sueno said the ISFs will be housed in 1,180 loftable row houses which have been constructed through the partnership of the DILG,Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), City Government of Las Pinas,and civil society organizations(CSOs)namely Settlement and Housing Alternative Resources (SHARE) Foundation, Inc. and Alternative Technology for Home and Community Advancement (ATHOME CA).

Sueno said that the ISF beneficiaries, whose people’s organization (PO) is called South Morning View Homeowners Association Inc.(SMV HOAI),are presently living along Las Pinas River,Tartar Creek,Almirante Creek,and Pasong Cobra Creek.

Electricity and water connections are currently being processed in the area.

“Ang tunay na pagbabago para sa mga maralitang Pilipinong naninirahan sa peligrosong lugar ay ligtas at murang pabahay.Bagong bahay,bagong buhay at bagong pag-asa,”he said.

The ISF beneficiaries will pay P803 monthly amortization to the SHFC,which will increase around 10 to 20 percent yearly.

The payment period runs for 30 years.

Each housing unit is 21.60 square meters with a 10 square meters loft.

The total project cost is P472-million with each housing unit costing P400,000.

The project is funded under the 2012-2016 P50 Billion Housing Fund for ISFs living in danger areas in the National Capital Region.

It is enrolled in the SHFC’s High Density Housing(HDH)program that covers land acquisition, site development, and building construction.

“What’s more noteworthy about this housing project is its aspect of being participatory through the People’s Plan which is an alternative shelter planning approach that demonstrates the bottom-up principle.It gives optimum weight and consideration on the participation of the settlers in identifying,conceptualizing,planning,designing,developing,and managing shelter projects,”said Sueno.

In September 2013,the SMV HOAI submitted its People’s Plan to the DILG and their project was approved by the SHFC in June 2014.

Sueno said that the DILG’s role in the implementation of the project include,among others,the conduct of house-to-house validation of member-beneficiaries;site visit of the proposed resettlement site;community consultations;conduct of Local Project Management Team meetings;and the issuance of Certificate of Eligibility and a Pre-Feasibility Certificate.

“The significance of the People’s Plan approach is being recognized in the legislative branch of government as the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development has recently approved House Bill 82 that promotes the People’s Plan.Senate Bill No. 1216 also promotes the same and is pending review in the Senate,” he said.

Sueno assured that the Department continues to assist in the transfer of ISFs living in high-risk areas to decent housing sites,in order to pave the way for the clearing of clogged waterways,through sustained coordination with local government units and concerned agencies as well as CSOs and POs.

On their part,the SHARE Foundation said in a statement, “We are very confident that with the involvement of the DILG, corruption and irregularities will be suppressed and ended.” (DILG)