Friday, November 07, 2008 Site eyed for city's informal settlers
ANGELES CITY -- The City Government here is planning to relocate about 108 families occupying a private property in Barangay Balibago here to a parcel of land in Magalang town owned by the National Housing Authority (NHA).
Mayor Francis "Blueboy" Nepomuceno said the NHA relocation site can accommodate about 1,900 families.
The informal settlers, belonging to the Samahang Magkakapit Bahay sa Metro Clark Phase II in Barangay Balibago, held mass demonstrations and sought the assistance of Nepomuceno last week.
According to the mayor, the NHA can provide 96 square meters each for the families to be relocated.
The settlers thanked the City Government after Engineer Warly Agres of the NHA and officials of the Local Urban Poor and Housing Office (Lupaho) finalized on November 4 the plans for their relocation.
Richard Rivera, Lupaho legal head, said the office is committed in helping the people find decent residence.
Nepomuceno and Lupaho chief Venancio Rivera recently led the awarding of certificates of land title to about 15 families.
For the past seven months, a total of 108 land titles were already awarded to informal settlers from different villages.
Nepomuceno has distributed lot awards to 408 families at the TB Pavillion Relocation Area in Barangay Sapalibutad here.
Nicanor Soriano, Lupaho deputy chief, said their office will also distribute lot awards to the villages of Cutcut, Pampang, Pulung Maragul, Capaya, and Anunas before the end of 2008.
The distribution is set to benefit more than 1,000 "urban poor" families in this city.
Nepomuceno has already approved the expropriation of private properties intended for the city's socialized housing program amounting to P4 million. (RGN)
