City needs P450 million for housing rehab plan
The city government has proposed a P450 million budget before the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) for the development of relocation sites where the 2,910 families living in danger areas could be relocated.
In the proposed budgetary requirements prepared by Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao) head Roy Firmeza, the city government needs P293 million to develop the 5.6 hectares of lot in Barangay Lanit, Jaro, 2.5 hectares of lot in Barangay Sooc, Arevalo and 16.2 hectares of lot in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro.
The proposed budgetary needs of the city will be presented by Mayor Jerry Treñas to before Vice President Noli de Castro and the officers of HUDCC and Department of Public Works and Highways. Earlier, the vice president assured his help to develop the relocation sites in the city when he visited the city days after Typhoon Frank.
HUDCC Undersecretary Lucille Ortile requested the budgetary requirement from the Icupao. A copy of the proposal was faxed yesterday at the HUDCC office. The rehabilitation program is expected to start August of 2008 until December 2009.
The proposed development of the different relocation sites is the city's rehabilitation plan after the city was devastated by Typhoon Frank. Most of the families whose houses were destroyed by flash floods are in danger zones such as riverbanks, creeks and waterways.
The estimated financial requirement for the development of Lanit relocation site is P5.6 million; Sooc, P25 million and P162 million for San Isidro. It entails P10 million to backfill each hectare of the property. Currently, there are 2,910 families living in the danger zones. The 2,910 figures was based in 2006 survey. They are the target recipients of the rehabilitation plan. The present available site can accommodate 2,872 homelots, said Firmeza.
Firmeza said the computation of the development of the three relocation sites was based on the figures provided by Engr. Jerome Borjal and Engr. Al Fruto, of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Borjal and Fruto are both in-charge of the Iloilo Flood Control Project.
The development of the relocation sites likewise include the construction of a two-lane bridge in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro. The budget needed for the construction of the bridge is P50 million based on the estimates provided by Borjal and Fruto.
In the same proposal, Icupao also prepared a P133 million core shelter assistance project. The core shelter assistance project is to be implemented by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The P133 million is good for 1,900 relocatee families. Each family will receive P70,000 assistance.
Moreover, the proposal contains development of 400 Gawad Kalinga housing units in San Isidro. The city plans to put up 300 units while Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. wants to put up 100 housing units. The estimated cost for the construction of 300 housing units is P18 million and the costing for 100 housing units is P6 million.
The development of Gawad Kalinga housing units will be supplemented with a food for work component by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office.
The Icupao head hopes to get a positive response from HUDCC and other government agencies for the development of the relocation sites.