Parañaque to relocate Sun Valley families

Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe said the city government is looking for relocation sites to help residents who were left homeless after a series of demolition activities in Barangay Sun Valley.

The mayor said he is coordinating with the city’s Regional Trial Court to protect the welfare of the residents and prevent a similar incident from taking place.

"I am having talks with congressman Ed Zialcita to look for relocation sites for the city’s marginalized settlers whose houses were torn down because of a court order," Bernabe said.

The demolition activity was enforced through an order issued by Judge Fortunito Madrona of the Parañaque Regional Trial Court-Branch 274 after the residents — all tenants in compound — failed to produce payments.

Bernabe said that the city’s Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office has been helping families displaced by the demolition.

This developed as the city government earlier disclosed that it would launch a "Balik-Probinsya program" that aims to help victims get back on their feet.

The local DSWD office will act as the coordinator of the program that will encourage illegal settlers to return home to their respective provinces.

Those interested in becoming beneficiaries of the program would be given transportation fare as well as an allowance.

Around 350 families were affected as their houses were torn down in the demolition at Garville Subdivision, Barangay Sun Valley more than two weeks ago.

Affected residents are migrants from the provinces and had been living in the city for more than 30 years.