City gets initial P27M for relocation sites
The city government has already received the P27-million intended for the purchase of relocation sites for families affected by the construction of the Iloilo Flood Control Project here.
Fresh from a meeting in Malacañang, Mayor Jerry P. Treñas disclosed that the amount has just been turned over to city treasurer Katherine Tingson. The fund, earlier pledged by Senate President Franklin Drilon and part of the P63-million poverty alleviation fund, was released through the National Housing Authority.
According to Treñas, the amount will be used to purchase additional relocation sites to resettle some 3,000 families who would be affected by the Iloilo Flood Control project. He said the city will be acquiring some 18,000 hectares in order to accommodate these families.
Earlier, Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) chief Roy Firmeza said some 400 familied were being relocated to resettlement areas in Barangay So-oc in Mandurriao district and Barangay Buntatala in Jaro.. These 400 families are informal settlers squatting along the river banks and affected by the implementation of Stage 1 of the project. Stage 1 includes the Iloilo River development, covering the area from the river's mouth in Parola to the Carpenter's Bridge in Brgy. Tabucan, Mandurriao.
ICUPAO records likewise bared that another 198 households in Barangays Lapuz Sur, Nabitasan, Ta-al and Tap-oc in La Paz, San Pedro in Molo, and Tabucan in Mandurriao will be affected by the river development project.
121 more households from barangays Hinactacan, Ingore and Ticud all in La Paz district, will be affected by the rehabilitation and improvement of the Jaro River mouth.
On the other hand, the rehabilitation of the Upper Ingore Creek will affect barangays Balabago, Cubay and Quintin Salas in Jaro district.
(Adora B. Bandorio/PIO)