57 families in creeks off to relocation site
Out of the more than 400 informal settlers affected by the dredging work, only 57 houses or households have been relocated to the San Isidro, Jaro relocation site. Most of the identified families are hesitant to leave the creeks for fear of losing their livelihood inspite of the request of the city government for them to transfer in the relocation site, said Roni Firmeza, head of the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO).
ICUPAO has identified 402 households in 13 barangays from Magsaysay Village down to Dungon B creek. The figure is much smaller when compared to the statistics earlier released by Mayor Jerry Trenas, which are 600 households. The city government has offered the affected families a relocation site in San Isidro, Jaro. The number of relocates is less when compared to the target households. The identification of recipient families underwent a thorough deliberation from a multi-sectoral group, the city government, non-government organization and media.
The regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cited the presence of the families along the creeks as contributory factor in the delay of project implementation. The weather condition may also affect the implementation of the project which aims to ease flooding in the city particularly in the district of Jaro. The dredging works could not start if there are still houses along the creeks.
The contract for the dredging work was won by WT, a Cebu-based contractor. The contractor was already given the notice to proceed with the works. The funding for the dredging is sourced out from the 2009 calamity fund of the department of public works. The city’s task in the implementation is the relocation of affected families.
The dredging of the Dungon creek is one of the priority projects in Panay included in the P481 million allotted by the national government after the Paglaum Fund which was meant for the rehabilitation and construction of infrastructure projects destroyed by Typhoon Frank. The fund covers the construction and rehabilitation of several bridges.
Firmeza is confident that they could reach the time table they set for the relocation of families. The city government has all the resources to help the relocates. The relocation of affected families has several components, such as the free housing component. The transfer of the families does not only include moving them from one place to another but giving back their lives as soon as they transfer to the relocation site.
The San Isidro relocation site has been the recipient of several funding from the local and national government. The site is also a home for several housing units from Gawad Kalinga and non-government organizations.
Firmeza added that they also understand the apprehension of some families in losing their livelihood. In every development, there are sacrifices which to be made. The city government wants everything to put in place before their transfer to the relocation site. And yet, they have a hard time convincing the affected families.
The ICUPAO is currently concentrating on the families living in Magsaysay Village fronting Bolilao, Mandurriao and Gamet Motors. They have also asked permission from the Megaworld Corporation to temporarily accommodate the excavated materials from the creeks. The excavated materials will be used at the Calajunan dumpsite.