CALOOCAN City Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan recently awarded housing units to 50 of 262 marginalized families occupying waterways and other danger areas in the city.
“The Caloocan City government has awarded Certificates of Unit Allocation to initial number of informal settler families (ISFs) from Barangays 160, 163 and 164 who were earlier identified by our Urban Poor Affairs Office to be living in hazard, flood-prone areas along the Tullahan River,” Mayor Malapitan says.
The housing units, located in Barangay 175 Camarin, are part of the Medium Rise Housing (MRH) project of the National Housing Authority (NHA), according to the former lawmaker-turned-mayor.
The project is located at a 2.9-hectare property owned by NHA where the national government has been constructing 10 five-storey buildings, with every floor having 24 housing units each, and each unit having a 24-sqm floor area, it was learned.
The first batch – 15 families from Barangay 160; 10 from Barangay 163; 24 from Barangay 164 – were assisted by personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, City Social Welfare and Development Office, Department of Public Safety and Traffic Management and the local police in coordination with UPAO chief Angeles Basconcillo.
The new beneficiaries drew lots for their unit assignment. “Mapapanatag ang city government at ang mga tao dahil magkakaroon sila (ISFs) ng ligtas at disenteng pamamahay,” the Caloocan chief executive says.
He adds” “Bahagi rin po ito ating commitment, katuwang ang nasyonal na pamahalaan upang mapagbuti ang kalagayan ng mga nanganganib at mga kapus-palad nating kababayan dito sa Caloocan.”
This writer was told that the remaining ISFs who volunteered to be relocated will move out of the waterways and danger zones by mid this month.
Lucky people, they have these dedicated government officials who care much for their welfare! GOOD RIDDANCE/Arlie O. Calalo
