The Davao City council assured that there will be no repeat of the Bulacan incident in Davao City whereby members of the urban poor group Kadamay took over several housing units meant for personnel of the armed forces in March.
Councilor Rene Elias Lopez, chair of the committee on housing, rural and urban development said that his committee, in consultation with the local housing board has devised a strategy to prevent the Bulacan incident from being duplicated in the city.
“While the house is being constructed, yung beneficiary will be identified. The beneficiary will now act as the guardian of the unit to ensure that what Kadamay did in Bulacan will not happen because there will be someone who is going to defend the house while under construction and while under process pa ang papeles na ibibigay sa kanya,” Lopez told reporters during the Pulong-pulong ni Pulong on Tuesday.
The councilor said that it is a viable strategy because this will ensure that those identified beneficiaries by the city will rightfully claim their housing units.
About 5,000 people, including members of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) took over 4,000 vacant houses in Pandi town and the City of San Jose del Monte (both in Bulacan) as a protest for being neglected by the government.
The councilor also assured everyone that the city is providing decent homes to the beneficiaries of the housing project following the allegation that the phase one of Los Amigos housing provided substandard materials.
“I went there to validate. I don’t think it’s true. They are living decently. They have all the necessary amenities. They have schools there, daycare centers, multi-purpose halls, sports facilities, basketball court, which I think that the city has properly provided them.”
Currently, Lopez said that they have recently completed a committee hearing on the second phase of the Los Amigos, Tugbok, Davao City relocation project.
Councilor Lopez said that the city has a long waiting list of people who wanted to avail themselves of the beneficiary program from the city and that they are trying their best to provide them with their needs.
