Outgrowing
from its long-standing collaboration with the Iloilo City government in
co-designing secure tenure and housing programs in the city, the Homeless People’s
Federation Philippines Inc. is again participating in a huge and complex development
undertaking- the social preparation involving the families affected by the
Iloilo-Batiano River rehabilitation project. The HPFPI together with the Iloilo
City Urban Poor Affairs Office, National Housing Authority, Department of
Social Welfare and Development Office and its city-level counterpart, the City
Social Welfare and Development Office, and other key departments of the Iloilo
City government comprise the adhoc committee whose function is to implement
community mobilization and organizing processes in preparation for the eventual
displacement and relocation of project-affected communities.
Among
the major activities spearheaded by HPFPI with the support of Philippine Action
for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. and its network communities were:
(1) the conduct of a general assembly to disseminate
first-hand information about the planned dredging of the whole stretch of
Iloilo-Batiano Rivers and the resulting displacement of residents therein;
(2) gathering and consolidation of
responses, issues and sentiments of affected families that were subsequently tackled
in the plenary sessions of Iloilo -Batiano River Rehabilitation and Development
Council (IRDC);
(3) organized the first-ever exposure
visit to the resettlement and housing site developed by the National Housing
Authority for Iloilo River Rehabilitation project-affected families.
Albeit
limited funding resources, the HPFPI is considering also the possibility of
partnering with DSWD Region VI in providing affordable housing for those who
will not be catered by the NHA housing project using a counterparting scheme.
However, this move is carefully being studied as this would likely entail
intricacies in procurement and housing construction procedures, of which HPFPI
has no exclusive control.
Just
recently, the federation together with its technical support arm, Technical
Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI) conducted the
mapping of structures and profiled households along the riverbanks of
Boulevard, Molo, which forms part of the Batiano River. These were carried-out
jointly with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office and Iloilo
City Urban Poor Affairs Office.
In
so far as it can be ascertained, the Iloilo-Batiano River Rehabilitation
Project since its conception has prompted several developments in Iloilo City. This
is noticeably seen for instance in the reduction of illegal structures along
major waterways, functional drainage systems and the adoption of integrated
solid wastes management strategy. The HPFPI however sees the need to go beyond
the environmental and physical aspects of the project. It gives prime
consideration to the immediate and long-term social impacts as the river
rehabilitation project deals with the very critical component of the urban
fabric. In this case, it is the people who would be directly affected and will
soon be displaced as a result of the planned development intervention. It is in
this very context that HPFPI continues to take the leading role in advancing
the plight of the urban poor sector and legally take part in various processes
that better the welfare of its members.
