No displacement in 4PH housing program implementation, assures Abalos

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 11)— The implementation of the government’s housing program, aimed at addressing the 6.5 million housing backlog in the country, will not displace informal settlers, a government official assured the public on Thursday.

The office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos released this statement on Thursday after an urban poor group expressed its concerns about the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) plan.

“In the first Metro Manila Council (MMC) meeting this year...government agencies, LGUs, and the private sector, will also identify lands to be used as ‘staging areas’ to prevent the displacement of families during the transition period,” the statement read.

On Wednesday, the government said it will construct 170,000 housing units in Metro Manila for informal settler families with a monthly payment of P5,000 or less. Abalos earlier reiterated that the relocation sites will be close to, if not in the original living areas of beneficiaries with in-city relocation.

The DILG added that Abalos has already directed Metro Manila local government units to prepare the list of families that will benefit from the program.

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“Kapalit ng konting discomfort sa isa or dalawang taon ay isang bahay na talagang matatawag niyong inyo at meron ding titulo,” Abalos said, adding that Mandaluyong City had already achieved this kind of implementation during his tenure as mayor.

[Translation: In exchange for little discomfort for a year or two is a house that you can call yours with legal documents.]