Statement - How we view the GK housing project for the Mandaue fire victims

Panaghugpong sa mga Kabus nga Taga Dakbayan sa Sugbo (Panaghugpong-Kadamay), having members who were victims of the Mantuyong-Guizo fire, would like to stress the following points regarding the Gawad Kalinga Housing Project:

1. The fire gutted down approximately 1,000 houses in the area. The project will build only 100 houses. How will they choose the beneficiaries for the said houses? Where will the remaining 900 families who lost houses go to?

2. In connection with the previous statement, each house will be two-story with an area of 36 square meters. This space is projected to be shared by two or three families to cover more beneficiaries but less cost. Because of their certain cramped-up existence (which is also a health risk, by the way), in the end inevitably there will be fights among the occupants and some will move out. Where will they go?

3. Because of these considerations, there will be dislocation of the people because they need to be relocated. Now, has relocation been considered? Will the fire victims have the same fate as their neighbors in Guizo earlier suffered when they were relocated to an unprepared relocation in Canduman? Panaghugpong points out that until now the relocated families in the said site are still languishing in terrible living conditions.

Here is our stand and proposals:

1. If the national/local government has the budget (or if Gawad Kalinga has it), why not give each family an amount to set up their own houses? This way, we ensure that the fire victims will be secured from the possibility of not being able to have a house again.

2. They said that alleys and pathways will be constructed in the area to allow fire trucks in case of future fires. We assert that any such development not be made unless the people are consulted since these will inevitably eat up the land that could have been allotted to housing the local residents.

3. We call for a fast-tracked and transparent investigation of the fire so that we can get at the reason that so many people have lost their homes, property, and livelihood. If the fire, as many residents believe, was intentional, then we must punish the criminals behind it. The strange behavior of some firefighters (sitting on the side, being lax, etc.) during the duration of the fire backs up the suspicions of the residents.

4. We assert that political loyalties be dismissed in the resolution and implementation of all intervention related to this tragic event. Considering that Ouano rival Jonas Cortes is popular in the said area, we strongly call for a fair and transparent treatment by the Mandaue City government and the Capitol.

Ramie Inopiquez
Chairperson
Panaghugpong