Relocation of waterway settlers needs P30 billion

MANILA, Philippines – The government needs over P30 billion and at least 10 more years to completely relocate over half a million families of informal settlers near and around waterways in Metro Manila.

This was revealed by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in a report submitted to the Supreme Court last week as part of compliance with an order to the government to clean up Manila Bay.

The MMDA, lead agency of the Metro Manila Inter–Agency Committee (MMIAC), said a total of 22,689 social housing units should be built every year at an average cost of P3.225 billion to accommodate all 544,609 families living precariously along waterways in the metropolis.

It stressed that the government needs to increase its production of social housing units by 14,922 every year to complete the relocation project in 10 years.

The agency disclosed that the development of a house in an

“off-site/off-city resettlement areas” like Calauan in Laguna will cost the national government P200,000 just to resettle a family.

It also pointed out that the other option, the development of the so-called medium rise housing, is a more expensive proposition as the government has to spend P800,000 to P1 million per unit per family.

The MMDA said the second option would be more expensive for the government since it would require them to buy land from private owners.

It also stressed that the government will have to wait for a long time to recover the money as informal settlers are only billed P300 to P500 for their monthly amortization.

It also revealed that out of the total households in Metro Manila to be affected by the relocation, only half or 50 percent are qualified for socialized or public housing. Ten percent of them are disqualified for any housing assistance while 40 percent are estimated to be financially capable to qualify for commercial or private housing.

The MMDA revealed that informal settlers in Metro Manila account for 21 percent of the 2.6 million population of the metropolis.

It explained that families affected by the implementation of flagship infrastructure projects and those living in danger areas such as riverbanks, esteros, under bridges, roadway/sidewalks, aqueducts, and victims of natural calamities are priority beneficiaries of the proposed government housing and relocation program.  –Edu Punay (The Philippine Star)