Housing authority to relocate riverbank families

ILOILO City is preparing the relocation site for some 1,000 riverbank families affected by ongoing rehabilitation and clean-up projects at the Iloilo River.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) commits P44 million for relocation site development and P100 million for the construction of decent low cost houses.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the five-hectare resettlement site is at Barangay Lanit in Jaro district. It was bought by the City some three years ago.

The lot was not immediately used due to a technical problem with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) but was settled recently by the city legal office with the agrarian reform beneficiary.

The affected families are living along the five tributary creeks to the Iloilo River and priority will be given to the riverbank families at barangays North and South San Jose, Molo.

The City Government supported by Senator Franklin Drilon and other National Government agencies are currently rehabilitating the river and dismantling river structures such as illegal fish pens and houses along the river.

Mabilog said the NHA has committed financial assistance to the relocation project by establishing a low-cost housing project to accommodate the affected 1,000 informal settlers. (Lydia C. Pendon)