WHILE urban poor group Kadamay forcibly occupied government housing units in Bulacan, in Manila, another batch of 16 indigent families was awarded with their own houses and lots at the P44.5-million village built by Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada in Sitio Dubai, Baseco Compound.
Estrada personally distributed certificates of usufruct and house keys to 16 informal settler families at the City Hall on Monday, March 27, seven months after the first group of 32 ISF-beneficiaries moved in to the so-called “Dubai” village last August.
“I am elated that more poor families will get to have their own homes,” Estrada said.
“Many more house-and-lots will be distributed soon as we continue to find ways to provide decent shelters to the thousands of informal settlers here in Manila,” said Estrada.
Addressing the 16 ISF-beneficiaries, Estrada said what the city government wants in return is their commitment to help the government fight drugs: “Please help the President, please help your mayor, we want a drug-free country and a drug-free city,” he said.
Urban poor group Dubai Kabalikat president Jeorgie Tenolete said the Dubai housing is the realization of the poor Baseco residents’ dream to have decent homes that they can call their own.
With usufruct rights, the beneficiaries virtually own the property in an indefinite period, according to Department of the Interior and Local Government-Manila director Rolynne Javier.
“All they have to do is take care of the property,” Javier said, “but they are not allowed to sell it or have it mortgaged,” he said.
In February last year, Estrada ordered the construction of a housing village in the impoverished community of Baseco. The 3.5-hectare housing site aims to provide permanent settlement to hundreds of ISFs in the community.
The Office of the City Engineer has so far completed a total of 48 bungalow-type row houses, out of the targeted 128 units, each with a floor area of 30 square meters.
The Dubai houses are also designed to be “eco-friendly” or energy-efficient shelters to lessen the effects of climate change, city engineers said.
Each unit has a rainwater harvesting and grey water reuse system that will enable the occupants to collect rainwater and use it for sanitation, thus significantly reducing expenses on water bills.
With the “green” housing units, Estrada said there will also be no more additional expenses on lighting, cooling and sanitation requirements for the poor families.
Since assuming office in 2013, Estrada has awarded 257 families with their own lots under his “Land for the Landless” program.
Aside from the Dubai housing project, he also has similar housing for City Hall employees.
