Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada on Monday assured that no Manileño will be displaced once construction of the P23.3- billion NLEX-SLEX Connector Road Project commences.
Estrada said he agrees with the project proponents, including the Department of Public Works and Highways, and said proper relocation will be provided to would-be affected informal settlers.
“We will stick to our rule: ‘no relocation no demolition.’ No families will be asked to move out without new homes they can transfer to,” the mayor said.
As to titled lands of private property owners, Estrada said they will be properly compensated as mandated by Republic Act 8974, which provides the guidelines in the acquisition of right-of-way, site or location for national government infrastructure projects.
Estrada stressed that while the project will be beneficial to the City of Manila, especially in terms of traffic, he will see to it that “not one single family will be unjustly displaced.”
Based on estimates of North Luzon Expressway Corp., 3,500 informal settler families in Manila will be affected by the construction and might be asked to relocate.