Early Christmas for relocated rail dwellers

Thousands of Valenzuela City residents benefited yesterday from the Serbisyo Muna pro-poor program of President Arroyo aimed at bringing basic services and information programs closer to the people.

Among the beneficiaries were two major urban poor groups in Valenzuela — the Home Along the Riles Valenzuela (HARV) and the Kapisanan ng mga Samahan sa Riles Valenzuela (Kasarival).

The two groups, made up of more than 3,000 families, are former railway residents who have been resettled in Barangay Bignay to give way to the $503-million North Rail rehabilitation project.

Apart from availing of services from yesterday’s medical and dental missions at the relocation sites, residents were given community-based training and employment opportunities in meat processing, massage therapy, reflexology and Christmas décor making, among others.

A caravan, made up of several rolling stores that sell National Food Authority (NFA) rice for only P14 a kilo as well as other basic commodities, roamed the city’s 32 barangays.

In Barangay Bignay, the President personally talked to relocated residents to find out the problems that beset the resettlement areas.

Among the problems which the President vowed to immediately resolved were on water supply and electricity .

"Kasarival’s power problem is around 90 percent solved, but that of the HARV is now being undertaken," Jessebel Lacbawan of the Valenzuela City’s Public Information Office (PIO) told The STAR.

She said that at least 40 deep wells are operational in the relocation sites, but are still not enough to supply the needs of the residents.

"Water from most of the wells are not safe for drinking," Lacbawan said.

The President arrived at the relocation sites at around 10:15 a.m. with Valenzulea Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol, Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Raul Gonzales, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Chairman Efraim Genuino, Philippine International Trade Corp. Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan, National Housing Authority Chairman Federico Laxa and officials from NFA and TESDA.