QC WANTS ALL ISFs RELOCATED TO SAFE AREAS
The Quezon City Council is pushing for the inclusion of the city’s informal settler families (ISFs) in the definition of ISFs living in danger and high risk areas under Memorandum Circular No. 57 to the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG).
In a resolution approved by the city council, the DILG is urged to include the 196,818 ISFs living in QC slums in the definition of informal settler families so they could qualify for relocation to decent housing sites under Memorandum Order No. 57. The memorandum from Malacañang directs the DILG Secretary to immediately spearhead the transfer of ISFs to decent relocation sites.
According to majority floorleader and 4th District Councilor Jesus Manuel C. Suntay, author of the resolution, by including the QC’s 196,818 informal settler families to the DILG’s list of families who are prone to danger, the city government can now move on to provide these families the needed help for their safety.
Slum areas due to its dense and overcrowded living quarters are prone to natural and manmade disasters that could be avoided if properly addressed. And rearranging their environment into a decent dwelling community will lead to a healthier living – a life that the city government aims to offer them, Suntay said.
As defined, slum settlements are dwelling areas that cannot provide durable housing that can protect people against extreme climate conditions, sufficient living space, easy access to safe water, access to adequate sanitation and security of tenure that prevents one from forced evictions.
Inaccessibility to one or more of the living conditions will result to a slum living that brings hazards to life, the resolution points out.
Residents of slum sites are more exposed to risks because of their location, faulty electrical connections, overpopulated environment, non-access to adequate and lack of safe water supply, according to the resolution.(Maureen Quiñones, PAISO)
Posted By: Edrillan Pasion
