Informal Settler Families Get Housing Units

The first completed housing project done through the People’s Plan, an alternative shelter planning project, gave 104 informal-settler families permanent housing in Sitio Pasacola, Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon, Novaliches, Quezon City.

The project was assistance by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and approved by the Social Housing Finance Corporation under its High Density Housing Program.

People’s Plan is an alternative shelter planning approach that demonstrates the bottom-up principle. It gives optimum weight and consideration on the participation of the settlers in identifying, conceptualizing, planning, designing, developing, and managing shelter projects.

In a separate statement, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento said, “Ang katuparan ng proyektong ito ay patunay na ginagawa ng DILG ang katungkulan nito para sa ISFs. Bahagi rin ito ng Disaster Risk Reduction Management dahil sinasagip natin sila sa delikadong paninirahan sa gilid ng mga daluyan ng tubig.”

The beneficiaries of Goldmine Interior Home Owners Association Inc. (GIHAI) were each awarded with a 28-square meter housing unit in the 6 two-story residential buildings constructed with the total cost of P41,600,000.

“Masayang-masaya po kaming lahat na natupad na ang pangarap naming magkabahay at panatag na ang loob namin na kahit ano man ang sama ng panahon ay ligtas kami sa aming mga tahanan,” said Ric Edianel, president of the company.

People’s Plan

In crafting the GIHAI’s People’s Plan, the DILG informal settler families program management office (ISF PMO) provided technical assistance such as orientations and workshops on People’s Plan preparations, crafting of home owners association resolution, completion of required documents for land acquisition, issuance of certificate that they are residing in danger areas hence eligible for the project, pre-feasibility certification, and monitoring activities.

“The ISFs will also be given P18,000 dislocation assistance,” said Jesus Jayson C. Miranda, DILG ISF PMO program manager.

High Density Housing

Felman R. Gilbang, Manager of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) High Density Housing Program said that the GIHAI ISF beneficiaries will be paying P1,300 monthly for about 30 years. “It is inclusive of mortgage redemption insurance and fire insurance.”

The HDH program is SHFC’s participation to the housing program for the ISFs living in danger areas of the National Capital Region being implemented by the Aquino administration with an allocated budget of P50 billion for five years.

Meanwhile, 1,440 ISFs in Valenzuela are next on the list to be awarded with housing units in March 2016. (DILG)