An urban poor group slammed the government’s relocation site in Rizal province for the informal settler families (ISFs) in Metro Manila, which was heavily flooded during the onslaught of typhoon Mario that brought torrential rains worsened by the monsoon.
Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) protests what they call as the government’s transfer of ISFs from “danger zones” to “death zones.” Carlito Badion Secretary General of KADAMAY condemns the “danger in the off-city relocation sites in Rodriguez, Rizal.” Badion also added that aside from such ‘negligence’ of the government, he also accuses the Aquino administration of massive corruption on projects supposedly meant for ISFs.
Badion dares the Palace to release the audit report of the billions-worth Informal Settlers Fund (IS Fund) which they claim to be a pool of corruption fund and is proven to have been misused resulting the massive flooding that occurred during typhoon Mario.
The first half of the IS Fund, which is worth P11.05B on October 2011 under the highly controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of the Aquino administration. P10 billion of the said fund is allocated for in-city housing for informal settler families situated along danger areas like riversides.
Eduardo Almadin, a three-year resident of the relocation site in Kasiglahan Village, Rodriguez town in Rizal Province in an interview with Manila Today recalls his ordeal during the height of the onslaught of the storm. “Bandang ala una ng madaling araw, tulog lahat ng mga tao, nagising nalang kami nung sumisigaw na yung mga kapitbahay namin wina-warning na lumikas na kami kasi paparating ang mataas na baha,” said Almadin in Filipino.
[quote_center] “Bandang ala una ng madaling araw, tulog lahat ng mga tao, nagising nalang kami nung sumisigaw na yung mga kapitbahay namin wina-warning na lumikas na kami kasi paparating ang mataas na baha,” [/quote_center]
He said that the water is chin-deep and came from the nearby creek which they claim to be a result of the faulty water system at the site. He recalls that in 2012, when President Noynoy Aquino visited the site along with some cabinet members, he assured the residents that the reconstruction of the creek and a dike is already underway. But Almadin said that until now, no construction not even a team of engineers have visited the site.
He also complains of the government’s ‘neglect’ on their plight that rescue and evacuation teams arrived at the site four hours after the actual stream of floodwater from two opposite directions. And 48 hours after, they are yet to receive relief packs from the government. He even quipped “Hindi na maaalis ang pangungurakot sana bigyan nalang kami ng konsiderasyon, parang hindi tao ang turing sa amin lalo na si Sikwatari (Secretary) Dinky Soliman.”
Almadin’s family was relocated to Kasiglahan Village because their house was demolished as it was situated in a ‘danger zone’ along a gutter in Dahlia, Fairview in Quezon City.
He also said that the residents in the relocation site have been experiencing floods every year. And should they decide to built succeeding floors to elevate their homes, the National Housing Authority and the developer San Jose Builders require them to pay half of the total construction cost of their unit.
Badion on the other hand confirmed that the two resettlement areas were “located in an area that is highly vulnerable to floods and earthquakes” based on the 2004 data of the remote sensing and geographic information systems-based Strategic Environment Assessment of Urban Poor Land and Housing in Montalban, Rizal.
