Agham Road settlers given deadline to accept relocation

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City government has given informal settlers in the recently demolished area along Agham Road until Wednesday to accept the relocation site offered by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Tadeo Palma, secretary to Mayor Herbert Bautista, said all structures remaining in the area after the deadline will be subjected to demolition.

Last week, city personnel started demolishing houses of some 250 families in the property owned by the NHA.

Chaos erupted after residents and militants started throwing bottles, rocks, and pillboxes at the police and the demolition team, who broke through the barricade set-up by those opposing the demolition.

Police officers, meanwhile, used teargas to disperse the protesters, some of whom were detained following the incident.

Some informal settlers affected by the demolition set up temporary shelters at the center island of Agham Road and at the other side of the thoroughfare in front of the Office of the Ombudsman and the Court of Tax Appeals.

According to Palma, 50 families have availed of the government’s relocation program, while around 100 families have signified their intention to relocate to the NHA-designated resettlement site in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Some families have started their relocation last Friday.

The city government earlier said that demolition was conducted following the request of the NHA, which has entered into an agreement with Ayala Land Inc. for the development of the area.

City administrator Aldrin Cuña said the local government will also provide financial assistance amounting to P5,000 for qualified beneficiaries, in addition to the aid and relocation from the government.

Earlier, Bautista pledged to push for the development of the central business district. He warned people who harbor professional squatters and illegal squatting syndicates that the city government will not hesitate to fully enforce the law against them.

Data from the city government showed that almost 7,000 families have been relocated from the North Triangle area since 2009.

Around 1,000 families who were not affected by the recent demolition remain in the area.