Treñas wants families living on waterways transferred to relocation site
To avoid further loss of lives and properties during typhoon, Mayor Jerry Treñas wants the thousands of informal settlers living on the waterways to transfer to the city's 16-hectare relocation site in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro soonest.
Treñas said most of the typhoon victims in the city are living on waterways. He said it is very dangerous for them to continue living in the riverbanks and creeks particularly in Jaro district.
Recent figures provided by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) showed that in Jaro district alone, there are 21,169 families affected by Typhoon Frank. The totally damaged houses reached to 1,217 with 24 confirmed deaths.
The chief executive wants to make the relocation site available for the qualified recipients as soon as possible. The recipients should assessment by the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao). The transfer of the typhoon affected families to the relocation site is part of the rehabilitation efforts of the city government.
Records from the 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.
Icupao hinted that barangay officials tolerate the proliferation of squatter especially in coastal areas in the city. The substantial increase in the number of informal settlers was recorded from 2005 until 2006.
Treñas said he will meet with the barangay officials about his plan to transfer the families living in danger zones to the relocation site. Meantime, they have to continue their relief operation effort to help the affected families in the city.
The total number of affected families in the city reached to 50,873 with 254,275 affected persons. The totally destroyed houses reached to 1,860 and 4,363 partially damaged houses. The death toll is 28.
The city has already made available some P2 million from its calamity fund for the relief and rehabilitation efforts. The city will also extend financial assistance to families of the victims that died during the typhoon. It was not yet determined on how much financial aid each of the family will receive.