CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The Pasig River system runs through five cities and four municipalities and it connects two large, important bodies of water in the Philippines namely, Manila Bay in the west and Laguna de Bay in the east (the largest freshwater lake in the country and connects 30 suburban towns to the metropolitan center). Before the colonial period, the Pasig River was the main point of entry for international trade into what is now the City of Manila. Advancements in land transportation have changed the river and the landscape noticeably.
Before pollution killed the aquatic life, the whole 25km of the Pasig River between Laguna de Bay served as a habitat for 25 varieties of fish and 13 different types of aquatic plant. Today, there are only six species of fish and two types of plants left that can tolerate the polluted water. The situation, however, is not irreparable. During the rainy months of June to December each year, fish from Laguna de Bay are carried by floodwaters to the Pasig River. The flushing effect of the increased water levels in Laguna de Bay increase the dissolved oxygen content of the river to a level that increases its potential for some aquaculture activities. Unfortunately, during dry summer months of March to May, the river is virtually dead because the water becomes stagnant with the much reduced flow.[1]
The banks of Pasig River are lined by informal settlers consisting of roughly 12,000 households. About 2,000 live in houses on stilts or under bridges, in sub- human conditions, where they present a danger to themselves and to the vessels using the river. The settlements have no sanitary facilities and their liquid and solid wastes are discharged straight into the river.[2]
The various subcultures existing in Metro Manila result in many problems that reflect the socio economic characteristics of the city. With the continuous dumping of wastes, the riverbed has become more and more silted with organic matter and non- biodegradable rubbish. This results in serious flooding along the river, affecting nearby communities and carrying polluted water to the households living close to the river.
The Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) handles the entire development of the area. Since the year 2002 until the present, the PRRC has housed 10,000 informal settlers. They have been relocated to areas like Rizal, Cavite and Taguig. There are around 2,000 households left in the banks of Pasig River and the PRRC persistently pursues the resettlement action plan.
Background of the Study
Urbanization and Population Growth in Metro Manila
Metro Manila is the total urban area that is composed of different cities and the surrounding urban parameter. The proper city Manila is only one of the big cities of this urban mass. Metro Manila, or the 'National Capital Region' as they say in the Philippines, is a real metropolitan area. On 636 square kilometer live more than 10 million inhabitants.
As the nation’s capital becomes more and more highly urbanized, it also experiences unpleasant effects. The city is surrounded of human desolation and deterioration, endless miles of slums, and more slums ----- there are 526 slum communities located in all its cities and municipalities. Many in-migrants are unable to find adequate work or shelter; they become part of Manila’s continuous population growth of “Urban Poor”.[3]
Slum communities are detrimental for the growth and development of Manila and Philippines as a whole. This trend of population concentration in Metro Manila creates a problem in meeting basic daily needs, and coping with the fast pace of life that results to social cultural, political and economic poverty.
Urban Poverty and Major Issues
The housing landscape of Metro Manila shows extreme division. Numerous upscale housing development projects are once in a while emerging across the metropolis alongside the continuous escalation of small towns and slum dwellings all over the city. Continuous massive influx of migrants from different provinces to Metro Manila intensified the demand for settlement space.[4]
The poor in cities suffer from various deprivations such as lack of access to employment; inadequate housing and infrastructure; social protection and lack of access to health education and personal security. There is a possible growth in issues like poor public transport, uncoordinated infrastructure provision, bad housing, low levels of public health, and improper waste management.
Statement of the Problem
The revival of Pasig River is led by the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRCC). One of its programs is to provide housing facilities to the informal setters alongside Pasig River. There are about 2, 000 households left along the banks of the river that is detrimental in improving the condition of the area. This program would help the organization make best use of its agenda in improving the natural environment.
The informal settlers are considered to earn very low at a day to day basis and the government sponsors or needs to subsidize the funding of the shelter provision in order to develop their lives and to improve or revive Pasig River as well.
The project calls for a housing facility for the informal settlers that would provide them shelter and at the same time improve their lives in their own community. A housing facility also includes infrastructures (roads, housing units, drainage systems, etc.) utilities (water and power) and common facilities (open spaces, schools, health centers, market) accessible to their needs.
Project Objectives
Relocation site for the informal settlers along the banks of Pasig River are needed as the PRCC would pursue their programs in reviving the Pasig River. The project calls for a housing facility for the informal settlers that would provide them shelter and at the same time improve their lives in their own community and addresses the following concerns:
1. To provide the affected families (AF) a stake socialized housing projects within or near Metro Manila.
2. To have a menu of workable shelter options that provides improved shelters, better living conditions, higher public health and environmental standards
3. To provide a community that would overcome the potentially detrimental and disruptive aspects of the AFs to adjust in their new homes
4. To ensure that APs will be at least as well- off after relocation as they are in their present condition
Significance of the Study
Pasig River is a major river of national significance in the historic, cultural and commercial life in the Philippines and has become heavily polluted through the uncontrolled and indiscriminate discharge of untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and solid waste. The relocation program for the informal settlers along the banks of Pasig River is essential in order to improve both the river and the quality of life of the affected families.
Project Scope and Delimitations
In order to point out the strategies of housing provision, the research is narrowed down to the basic and standard requirements: the strategic planning and sustainability— (1) required coordination of social, economic and social requirements; (2) embodiment of approaches to issue which can operate over time scales set at short, medium and long term; (3) involvement of a wide group of stakeholders, particularly including local communities; (4) inclusion of assessment of performance, targets and goal settings; and (5) searching issues of: built environment, energy, transport, water and wastes.
Definition of Terms
The following definitions are for operational levels. This is for the purpose of the entire research. (Congress of the Philippines, Republic Act no. 7279, 1991.)[5]
“Affordable cost” refers to the most reasonable price of land and shelter based on the needs and financial capability of Program beneficiaries and appropriate financing schemes;
"Areas for priority development" refers to those areas declared as such under existing statutes and pertinent executive issuances.
"Blighted lands” refers to the areas where the structures are dilapidated, obsolete and unsanitary, tending to depreciate the value of the land and prevent normal development and use of the area;
"Improvements” refers to all types of buildings and residential units, walls, fences structures or constructions of all kinds of a fixed character or which are adhered to the soil but shall not include trees, plants and growing fruits, and other fixtures that are mere super impositions on the land, and the value of improvements shall not be less that fifty percent (50%0 of the assessed value of the property;
"Joint venture" refers to the commitment or agreement by two (2) or more persons to carry out a specific or single business enterprise for their mutual benefit, for which purpose they combine their funds, land resources, facilities and services;
"Land banking" refers to the acquisition of land at values based on existing use in advance of actual need to promote planned development and socialized housing programs;
"Land use plan" refers to the rational approach of allocating available land resources as equitably as possible among competing user groups and for different functions consistent with the development plan of the area and the Program under this Act;
"On–site development" refers to the processed of upgrading and rehabilitation of blighted and slum urban areas with a view of minimizing displacements of dwellers in said areas, and with provisions for basic services;
"Resettlement areas" refers to areas identified by the appropriate national agency or by the local government unit with respect to areas within its jurisdiction, which shall be used for the relocation of the underprivileged and homeless citizens;
"Security of tenure" refers to the degree of protection afforded to qualified program beneficiaries against infringement or unjust, unreasonable and arbitrary eviction or disposition, by virtue of the right of ownership, lease agreement, usufruct and other contractual arrangements;
"Slum Improvement and Resettlement Program or SIR" refers to the program of the National Housing Authority of upgrading and improving blighted squatter areas outside of Metro Manila pursuant to existing statutes and pertinent executive issuances;
"Socialized housing" refers to housing programs and projects covering houses and lots or home lots only undertaken by the Government or the private sector for the underprivileged and homeless citizens which shall include sites and services development, long-term financing, liberalized terms on interest payments, and such other benefits;
"Urban areas" refers to all cities regardless of their population density and to municipalities with a population density of at least five hundred (500) persons per square kilometer;
ENDNOTES
[1] World Health Organization, (1997)Richard Helmer and Ivanildo Hespanhol. Water Pollution Control- Case Study III. 1997
[2] Richard Helmer and Ivanildo Hespanhol. Water Pollution Control- Case Study III. 1997
[3] Pa- Riles: The UST CCMF Tondo Youth community development program participatory action research
[4] James A. Tyner. The Philippines: Mobilities, Identities, Globalization. 2009.
[5] Congress of the Philippines (1991), from http://www.gov.ph/laws/ra7279.pdf
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