A lawmaker has asked the Senate to sponsor a counterpart measure that seeks to establish a local government resettlement program that will implement an on-site, in-city or near-city strategy for informal settler families in accordance with a “People’s Plan.”
Akbayan party-list Rep. Tom Villarin made the appeal after the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading House Bill 5347 which also mandates that the relocating local government unit shall provide other basic services and livelihood components in favor of the recipient LGU.
Villarin, an opposition lawmaker, said these relocation programs shall be made possible through the amendment of Republic Act 7279, as amended, otherwise known as the “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.”
The bill refers to “in-city resettlement” as a relocation site within the jurisdiction of an LGU where the affected ISFs are living. It refers to “near-city resettlement” as a relocation site within the jurisdiction of an LGU, closer to the original location of the affected ISFs, with minimal transportation cost based on their income profile and adjacent to the LGU that has jurisdiction over their present settlement.
“People’s Plan” under the bill, meanwhile, refers to the plan formulated by the beneficiary-association, in coordination with the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor with or without the support of civil society organizations, which shall contain a site development plan to conform to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the LGU whose jurisdiction the project site is proposed to be located.
The plan includes community health; sanitation and security plans; non-physical development components such as self-help housing cooperative, livelihood, self-help development, capability building; and a system of allocation of socialized housing units that promote and protect the welfare of the elderly, persons with disability, and children.
“On-site development” per the original RA 7279 refers to the process of upgrading and rehabilitation of blighted slum urban areas with a view of minimizing displacement of dwellers in said areas, and with provisions for basic services.
The bill seeks to amend Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7279, as amended, by adding terms and their definition, such as “adequate and responsive consultation”, “civil society organizations CSOs)”, “in-city resettlement”, ‘informal resettlements”, “informal settler families (ISFs)”, “key shelter agencies (KSA)”, “near-city resettlement”, “nongovernment organizations”, “off-city resettlement”, “people’s plan” and “social preparation.”
The bill seeks to mandate that government agencies dealing with the provision of skills and livelihood training, development of livelihood programs, and grant of livelihood loans give priority to the beneficiaries of the Program. These are the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Science and Technology, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and Philippine Trade Training Center.
The bill also proposes several amendments to RA 7279, or the “Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.”
One, an amendment to Section 23 of RA 7279, as amended, which deals with the participation of program beneficiaries, formation of beneficiary-association, mainstreaming social preparation and formulation and implementation of a People’s Plan.
“The LGUs, in coordination with the PCUP and concerned government agencies, shall afford Program beneficiaries or their duly designated representatives an opportunity to be heard and to participate in the decision-making process over matters involving the protection and promotion of their legitimate collective interests which shall include appropriate documentation and feedback mechanisms," the bill's proposed amendment said.
Moreover, the program beneficiaries shall also be encouraged to organize themselves into an association for accreditation as beneficiaries or awardees of ownership rights under the resettlement program, community mortgage program, land tenure assistance program, and other similar programs in relation to a socialized housing project actually being implemented by the national government or by the LGUs. They shall also assist the government in preventing the incursions of professional squatters and members of squatting syndicates into their communities.
The association, with the assistance of CSOs and government agencies, including the National Anti-Poverty Commission, PCUP, National Housing Authority, City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, Social Housing Finance Corporation, LGUs, and other relevant agencies of government, shall agree on how to develop and implement the People’s Plan.
Two, the bill seeks to amend Section 26 of RA 7279, as amended, so that “Urban Renewal and Resettlement shall include the rehabilitation and development of blighted and slum areas and the resettlement of program beneficiaries in accordance with the provisions of the Act."
Three, the bill seeks to amend Section 29 of RA 7279, as amended, so that the LGUs shall be in charged with the primary responsibility of implementing resettlement of affected ISFs in their respective localities, in coordination with the appropriate key shelter agencies.
Villarin said the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Department of Finance–Bureau of Local Government Finance shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations on the cost-sharing mechanism necessary to fully implement the provision of such other basic services and facilities.
In addition to the funding sources provided under the bill, he said the allocation for the basic services and facilities may be taken by the LGU implementing the relocation or resettlement from the 20 percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment appropriated for development projects as mandated under Section 287 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991.”