No more space for relocation at Calaanan property

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

THERE is no more space for relocation within the 63-hectare property in Calaanan that was bought by city hall for over P100 million during the Emano administration.

What remains are vacant lots reserved for families of police officers and soldiers, and areas that cannot be used for relocation of families because these are either flood- or landslide-prone, officials said.

Floreza Sabuga-a, city hall’s Estate Management Division (EMD) chief, said some 2,283 houses have been constructed within what used to be owned by the heirs of former mayor Pedro Roa in sition Calaanan, Barangay Canito-an, this city. The Calaanan property was bought during the early years of the Emano administration in connection with its controversial “piso-piso” program that promised beneficiaries lots in exchange for a P1-token.

Sabuga-a said the property proved to be useful in the aftermath of the typhoon Sendong devastation in 2011 because it served as one of the relocation sites for the homeless survivors.

She said lots covered by Phases 1 and 2-B of the Calaanan relocation site were distributed to “piso-piso” beneficiaries while Phases 2-A and 3 are being occupied by “a few Sendong survivors.” She said there were problems with the “piso-piso beneficiaries who have yet to receive land titles.

Ramon Fernandez, chairman of city hall’s Shelter and Housing Development Multi-Sectoral Task Force, said some of the vacant lots in the Calaanan property cannot be used for housing because these were within danger zones––meaning, flood- and landslide-prone.

Fernandez said Sabdullah Abubakar, chief of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in the region, would not allow these areas to be developed into relocation areas because of the serious risks. He said the areas failed to pass the requirements for the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate.