Revised benefits package for Northrail Settlers Approved

04 August 2005  

 

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has approved the granting of an additional P25,000 subsidy to the beneficiaries of the North Rail relocation program as proposed by Vice President Noli De Castro, who chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

 

The P25,000 will be deducted from the total amount to be paid by each family, specifically from the housing materials loan. This means that a family will still receive P50,000 for the purchase of housing materials, but will only pay half of this amount as a loan.

 

In effect, each family will incur a P125,000 loan instead of P150,000 covering the cost of the developed home lot and housing materials, plus a direct grant of P40,000. This grant covers P25,000 in housing material loan and P15,000 for relocation cost.

 

The revised entitlement will apply to all the affected families in Bulacan, Pampanga and Metro Manila.

 

De Castro made the proposal as a compromise agreement with the congressmen from Bulacan who were clamoring for the P50,000 outright grant option for their affected constituents, similar to that given to families from the Malabon segment of North Rail.

 

He reiterated that the P50,000 grant should be discontinued as “it is not a financially viable option, it distorts current relocation programs for the non-formal sector, it does not guarantee security of tenure, and it will further delay relocation as those who take this option are the last to go and the least prepared to leave.”

 

De Castro said that HUDCC hopes to relocate all 12,878 families from the Bulacan segment of North Rail by the end of September this year, even as clearing and relocation operations are being hampered by rains, delays in the development of resettlement sites and funding issues.

 

De Castro reported that HUDCC has relocated 5.4 percent of the informal settlers and demolished 11% of the commercial establishments along the railway, while development in the resettlement sites are 30% percent complete. He expects the big bulk of relocation to begin by mid-August as site development picks up.

 

“Based on the original timetable, we targeted to complete clearing of the Bulacan segment by the end of August. With the delays we are encountering, we hope to complete relocation by end-September,” he said.

 

De Castro said that the almost daily downpour has severely affected the timetable for house construction and site development.

 

He also reported that while the 30% development needed to start relocation has been met, some of the relocation sites identified require in-filling. HUDCC is also attending to some problems in installing facilities such as electrical connection.  (MORE)

 

“We have set a maximum of three weeks for house construction, and we are working on site development on a 24-hour shift. Meanwhile, we are encouraging relocatees to move to the site and temporarily stay in tents, while we provide regular medical missions to prevent the outbreak of illnesses in the area,” he said.

 

De Castro further disclosed that the availability of funds to cover the P2.25 billion required for the Bulacan segment is also a concern. Expected sources of funds include the unreleased P500 million budget of the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the balance of the P1.5 billion loan from the National Development Corporation (NDC). 

 

The North Rail relocation program has generated support from NGOS, multilateral agencies and business sector groups including the Homeless People’s Federation, UNDP, UN-Habitat, Gawad Kalinga, the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and private developer groups.   (end)

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

Ref: Ms. Margie A. Jorillo at 8114198/4122

4 August 2005

Dagdag na Benepisyo para sa mga Taga Riles , Aprubado

Inaprubahan ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ang pagkakaloob ng karagdagang P25,000 na subsidiya sa mga benepisyaryo ng North Rail relocation program, ayon sa panukala ni Bise Presidente Noli De Castro, chairman ng Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

 

Ang P25,000 ay ibabawas sa babayaran ng bawat pamilya para sa housing materials loan. Nangangahulugan ito na ang isang pamilya ay tatanggap pa rin ng P50,000 na pambili ng materyales sa pagpapatayo ng bahay, ngunit kalahati lamang nito ang kanilang huhulug-hulugan bilang bahagi ng kabuuang benepisyo.

 

Sa kabuuan ang bawat pamilya ay magkakaroon na lamang ng P125,000 na utang sa halip na P150,000 para sa lote at pagpapatayo ng bahay, at P40,000 na direktang grant.

 

Ang bagong pakete ng mga benepisyo ay ipapatupad para sa lahat ng apektadong pamilya sa Bulacan, Pampanga at Metro Manila.

 

Ang panukala ay inilahad ni De Castro sa gabinete bilang compromise agreement sa mga Kongresista ng Bulakan na humihiling ng P50,000 na benepisyong walang kaukulang bayad para sa mga apektadong pamilya sa Bulacan, kagaya ng ipinagkaloob noon sa mga taga-Malabon.

 

Iginiit ni De Castro na hindi na dapat ipatupad ang ganitong benepisyo dahil “hindi ito financially viable, sinasalungat nito ang mga iba pang programa para sa impormal na sektor, hindi nito ginagarantiyahan ang seguridad sa pamamahay, at pinapabagal pa nito ang relokasyon dahil ang mga tumatanggap nito ay nahuhuli sa paglipat dahil hindi sila handa.”

 

Ayon kay De Castro, layunin ng HUDCC na tapusin sa buwan ng Setyembre ang relokasyon ng 12,878 pamilyang taga-North Rail sa Bulacan, sa kabila ng mga   balakid dito gaya ng pag-ulan, mahirap na development sa resettlement sites, at mga isyu sa pondo.

 

Sinabi niya na sa ngayon ay 5.4 porsiyento pa lamang ng mga pamilya sa Bulacan ang nakalipat at 11 porsiyento ng mga commercial establishments sa tabi ng riles ang nabaklas, habang 30 porsiyento na ng mga resettlement sites ang naitayo. Inaasahan niyang magsisimula ang malakihang relokasyon sa kalagitnaan ng Agosto

 

“Ayon sa aming orihinal na timetable, dapat ay kukumpletuhin ang relokasyon sa Bulacan ngayong Agosto, ngunit dahil sa mga pagkaantala at inaasahan naming aabutin ito nang hanggang katapusan ng Setyembre,” aniya.

 

Ang halos araw-araw na pag-ulan diumano ay nakaapekto sa pagpapatayo ng mga bahay at pasilidad sa mga resettlement sites. Dagdag pa rito, ang ilang lugar na paglilipatan ay kailangan pang tambakan, at kinailangang ding ayusin ng HUDCC ang paglalagay ng mga pasilidad na gaya ng elektrisidad.

 

“Nagtakda na kami ng hanggang tatlong linggo lamang para tapusin ang pagtatayo ng bawat bahay, at 24-oras naman ang pagtatrabaho para sa site development. Samantala, kinukumbinsi namin ang mga pamilya na lumipat pansamantala sa mga tolda sa resettlement sites habang ginagawa ng bahay nila para masimulan na ang demolisyon. Kami naman ay nagsasagawa ng regular na medical mission para mapigilan ang pagkakasakit ng mga pamilya,” aniya. (MORE)

 

Sinabi rin ni De Castro na problema pa ang pondo para tustusan ang P2.25 bilyong kakailanganin para makumpleto ang relokasyon sa Bulacan. Ang inaasahang pagmumulan ng pondo ay ang P500 milyong budget ng National Housing Authority (NHA) na hindi pa nailalabas, at ang hinihintay na balanse sa P1.5 bilyong utang mula sa National Development Corporation (NDC).

 

Ang North Rail relocation program ay suportado rin ng mga NGOs, multilateral agencies at business sector groups kabilang ang Homeless People’s Federation, UNDP, UN-Habitat, Gawad Kalinga, Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry at grupo ng mga pribadong developer.  (end)