This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 50, January 29-February 4, 2006
Relocation without Housing
No less than Vice
President Noli De Castro said the government is looking after the
well-being of the families who used to live along the railways of Bulacan
and are now homeless. However, more than 100 families in a relocation site
still live under dismal conditions. Living on nothing but tents, these
families may have to suffer longer as local officials of the National
Housing Authority (NHA) admitted that, at least for now, there is no
budget for the affected families’ housing.
BY DABET CASTAÑEDA BALAGTAS, Bulacan –
It was high noon and two-month old Baby Justine slept peacefully,
unmindful of his family’s gloomy condition at the edge of Northville IV, a
relocation site for families who used to live along the railways of this
municipality. His mother Crizelle Binaro,
who gave birth Dec. 10 last year said that Baby Justine’s name was originally
“Just Tent.” The village komadrona (midwife) suggested it because the
baby was born inside a green-and-white striped tarpaulin tent which is now his
family’s new home. Baby Justine’s family is
among the thousands of families relocated in Northville IV after their homes
along the railways of this town were demolished from May to November last year.
The railways were cleared to make way for the construction of the $503-million,
China-funded North Luzon Railways Corporation (NorthRail) project that stretches
80 kms. from Caloocan
City to the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark, Pampanga. “Naglalakihan na lang sa
tent ang mga bata,” (The children are
growing up, living in tents) said Crizelle. She said that it was only during the
baby’s baptism when a nun suggested that the baby’s name be changed to what it
is now. Her new baby’s name,
however, is the least of her worries. Sitting on a papag
(bed made of bamboo slats), she said her family’s situation is her biggest
concern. “Nagkakasakit na ang mga bata,” (The children get sick) she
said. In fact, Baby Justine had a cold when Bulatlat visited the site
Jan. 26. No budget Baby Justine’s family is
not alone in this plight. Their neighbor, 57-year old
Aling Marina Leparto, said more than 100 of them live under miserable
conditions. She said she does not get enough sleep because of the heavy rains
that hit parts of Central Luzon and Manila. “Baka liparin yung tent,”
(The tent may get blown away) she said. Aling
Marina said they have aired their concerns to
local officials of the National Housing Authority (NHA) who frequented their
place but were usually told to “just wait.” It has been more than two months
though since their homes were demolished Nov. 16 last year. They have been
living in tents since and it appears they will be doing so for a long time. Daisy Mariñas, community
relations chief of NHA-Bulacan Task Force Northrail, admitted in a separate
interview with Bulatlat that there is no budget yet for Aling Marina and
the rest of the families living in tents in Northville IV. Mariñas said these families
are categorized as “uncensused” ― families who lived along the railways but were
not at their homes when NHA conducted its survey in July 2004. She said there are 110
“uncensused” families in Balagtas alone. Of this, 65 families still live along
the railways because there are no more lots allotted for them. Meanwhile, 16
“uncensused” families are at the relocation site. Their lots are located at the
boundary of the relocation site which lies in the middle of a rice field.
The NHA data in Balagtas do
not account for the status of 29 qualified “uncensused” families. Not enough available
lots Another NHA official, Engr.
Rico Abueva, Team Head of the Bocaue-Balagtas Task Force-Northrail-Bulacan, said
the NHA was only able to acquire 5.9 hectares for the Balagtas project. Abueva
said this is 2.1 hectares short of the required 8.0 hectares for the site. As of January 2006, Abueva
said that his team has relocated 1,159 families or 18 families more than the
NHA‘s target of 1,141 families. He said that the 18 families found shelter
either on tents or in houses of relatives who also live in Northville IV.
For the relocation project,
Abueva said that the NHA allotted P175,000 ($3,340.65, based on an exchange rate
of P52.385 per US dollar) per family to cover payment for a 40-sq. m. lot,
P40,000 ($763.58) worth of housing materials, P10,000 ($190.89) labor cost, and
P1,000 ($19.09) for food. Based on this cost, Abueva
said that the NHA needs around P11 million ($209,983.77) more to relocate the 65
qualified uncensused families of Balagtas alone. NHA records show there are
12,878 available lots in six relocation sites in Bulacan, namely: Meycauayan
(3,341); Marilao (1,911); Malolos (2,696); Guiguinto (1,703); Bocaue (2,086);
and Balagtas (1,141). Abueva said there are still
a number of uncensused families in other relocation sites in Bulacan. According
to newspaper reports, NHA for Central Luzon Assistant Manager Romuel Alimbuyo
said there are still 2,573 families in the province who are not yet relocated by
the NHA. If this number were
multiplied by the cost needed to relocate a family, the government would need
around P450 million ($8,590,245.30) to provide shelter to the 2,573 families
affected by the Northrail project. No livelihood Since the relocation site
for
railway dwellers in Caloocan City is located in far-flung, hilly areas of
Bulacan, most of the affected families lost their jobs and means of livelihood. Given this experience,
Mariñas said that the NHA decided to implement “in-town” relocation for the
affected families in Bulacan. “We do not want to make things difficult for them.
As much as possible, we want their lives to become better by giving them a
chance to own their own homes that are near their work places,” Mariñas said. However, most families
interviewed by Bulatlat still suffer from the same fate as their
counterparts in Caloocan City. Virginia Pestaño, 41, was a
cook at a canteen near the railways in Balagtas. She lost her job since her
family was relocated in Northville IV. Aside from paying higher transportation
fare going to her place of work, Pestaño said that she is forced to stay inside
her family’s tent so as not to lose it. “Sabi kasi sa amin ng taga-NHA, pag
wala daw tao ang tent idedeklara nilang vacant,” (According to the NHA
staff, they will declare a tent vacant if there is no one inside.) she said. Her three children go to
school at most thrice a week to save on transportation fare. Meanwhile, her
husband is forced to live at his place of work also to save on transportation
allowance. “Natutulog lang siya sa ibabaw ng mga sako-sakong palay,” (He
only sleeps on top of sacks of unhusked rice), Pestaño said of her husband who
works in a palay (unhusked rice) milling factory. To answer the affected
families’ need for jobs and means of livelihood, Mariñas said the NHA has a
livelihood program for them. However, due to lack of funds, they have provided
capital for only 150 families. Mariñas added that members
of the affected families are given hiring priority once the Northrail starts
construction in February 2006. Construction is estimated to last for about three
years. She admitted that she was
not sure of the jobs available after the Northrail construction. “Sino ba ang
may security of tenure sa atin?” (Who has security of tenure among us) was
her curt reply when asked what lies ahead for the affected families. Bulatlat © 2006 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Bulacan
poor end up tent dwellers as NorthRail project begins February
Bulatlat