Housing authority rushes relocation site

THE National Housing Authority (NHA) is rushing up the housing units for the more than 1,000 families of informal settlers to be displaced from the Iloilo and Batiano rivers and other danger zones in the city.

Senator Franklin Drilon, who is mainly instrumental in finding funds of P344 million for the housing projects, said the city-owned lot of 5.6 hectares in Barangay Lanit, Jaro district is the first area for relocation of informal settlers from the Dungon and Calajunan creeks.

The first batch of 75 families at the Iloilo River in North San Jose, Molo district will be the priority families at the Lanit relocation site.

Another relocation site at Barangay Sooc, Arevalo will house some 300 families.

Drilon said that of the total amount, P144 million was assured by the NHA, another P100 million from the Office of the President and another P100 million from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

As soon as the first batch of informal settlers at the Iloilo River are relocated at the Lanit site by late this year, the vacated Iloilo River portion will be dredged by Water Master dredging machine bought by DPWH for P32 million.

Drilon said the dredging machine will stay in the city to do its dredging job until all rivers and creeks in Iloilo are cleaned and dredged. (Lydia C. Pendon)