Binondo informal settlers get new homes

Government personnel on Tuesday relocated 60 families illegally occupying the stretch of Estero de Magdalena in Binondo as part of the initiative to clear Manila’s waterways from clogging and prevent flooding.

Personnel from the Joint Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) started the demolition at 9:30 a.m. About 40 shanties out of the 60 were torn down. The affected families were relocated to their new houses in Summer Home, Trece Martires, Cavite.

PRRC Executive Director Jose Antonio Goitia said that the clearing operations in Estero de Magdalena started in November 2015. Some 1,049 families from the estimated 2,015 were transferred to various relocation sites in Bulacan and Cavite.

Prior to the demolition, Giotia said his team conducted community dialogue with the affected families, in addition to the ocular inspection of the relocation sites to prepare them for the eventual transfer.

The Manila Social Welfare Department provided each of the family with food supplies.

Goitia said that once the informal settlers were removed from the waterway, the PRRC could begin the construction of a linear park along the estero to imitate the same rehabilitation of Estero de Paco, Maytunas creek, Estero de San Miguel and several other polluted waterways.