THERE are 1,500 housing units available at the National Housing Authority relocation sites in Montlaban, Rizal and San Jose , Bulacan for some 3,000 families displaced by the Monday night fire in Barangay Central.
This was disclosed by Architect Geronima Angeles, District Manager of NHA in QC, during the emergency meeting of QC Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (QCDRRMC) called by Mayor Herbert M. Bautista at the QC Bulwagang Amoranto.
Angeles said that fire victims of Barangay Central could be accommodated in the 1,000 housing units in Montalban, Rizal and 500 housing units in San Jose , Bulacan provided that they meet the pre-qualification requirements set by NHA particularly the census requirement.
She said that NHA is indeed planning to relocate the families occupying its property like the areas in Barangay Central, particularly the Botanical area which has 2,689 families based on a 2009 census conducted by NHA.
The planned relocation, she said, will take place in April or by the end of the school year so that children will not be affected.
For his part, Mayor Bautista ordered QC Hall executives from Social Services Development Department (SSDD), Department of Public Order and Security (DPOS), Barangay Operations Center (BOC), Community Relations Office (CRO), Urban Poor Affairs Office (UPAO) and City Health Department (CHD) to immediately response to the need of the fire victims.
The mayor identified the Barangay Pinyahan and Bernardo Park basketball courts as evacuation centers to house the displaced families.
The fire victims, he said, could go to evacuation centers for temporary shelters while their relocation to NHA sites is in process.
Relief and food assistance operations were conducted by the city government to help the victims.
The mayor also ordered Budget Head Marian Orayani to make ready for release the available calamity fund, especially for purchase of pre-disaster equipment that could help the city to reduce the impact of calamities in the future.-30- Maureen Quinones, PAISO
