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Families affected by housing demolition in Muntinlupa seek help

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Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Residents who used to live in Susana Heights Ave near the National road in Muntinlupa City are forced to live in open spaces after the local government executed a summary demolition there earlier this month of January 2023. Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/01/18/20230118-family.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents who used to live in Susana Heights Ave near the National road in Muntinlupa City are forced to live in open spaces after the local government executed a summary demolition there earlier this month of January 2023. Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE) - Some families left homeless by a housing demolition along Susana Heights Avenue in Muntinlupa City are appealing for help as they lament the difficulties they are going through while now staying in open spaces.“Mahirap po, dahil wala kaming matirahan nang maayos,” Mary Ann Martinez told ABS-CBN News.Martinez&#x27; house in Barangay Tunasan was among those taken down by the local government earlier this month because, according to Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, those were erected on parts of a road easement and by a creek.&quot;Dapat talaga, walang nakatayong structure. At ang pagma-may-ari niya is of course ay nasa State, at naka-reserve siya para sa easement. And since katabi siya ng creek, pwede yang i-consider na danger zone,” Biazon told ABS-CBN News.Over a dozen families were affected by the demolition.“Mahirap po kasi maraming lamok, tapos malamig. Lalo na kung umuulan, ang hirap. Kahit san-saan na lang kami abutan. May mga bata po, pinatira namin sa mga kakilala nila, pamangkin,” Martinez said of their current living condition. “Saan po kami? Paano? Napakasakit po. Ultimong pagkain, tubig, wala. Kahit tulong ng gobyerno wala talaga,” said Michelle Peñalosa, another affected individual. Fernando Reyes, who claims to own the lot where the demolished houses were erected, said the area is a “residual lot” that is part of his property.“These people are not informal settlers by virtue of the approved lot plan by the DENR. What they demolished is beyond the 3-meter legal easement,” said Engr. Ian Dela Cruz, geodetic engineer of Reyes.ABS-CBN News is getting comment from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regarding this.Biazon refuted the claim and said Reyes does not own the easement. &quot;Easement eh, na sinusubukang kunin as personal property ng iba. Yung action ng local government is to clear public land for the safety of the public. So wala namang personal interest doon,” the mayor said. Unfortunately, the affected families are not qualified for a housing relocation, according to Biazon, citing <a href="https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1992/03/24/republic-act-no-7279/">Republic Act 7279</a>. &quot;Hindi naman absolute talaga ang sinasabi ng 7279, na any and all demolitions kailangan may relocation. Kinu-qualify rin yun,&quot; he said.&quot;Ang utos kasi ng 7279 na gumawa ang local government ng registry ng mga for example urban poor families na nasa jurisdiction. At ang mga registered na iyon ay pwedeng mag-qualify. All others na hindi nakasama sa census ay considered na ‘new settlers’ at hindi sila bahagi ng relocation program,” he added. What the local government can offer, he said, is financial assistance of P5,000 - P10,000, and helping them return to their home provinces. According to Martinez, they were not offered with any assistance. “Mula nang ma-demolish kami, wala pang na-aabot sa amin. Tsaka sabi bibigyan kami ng pangakong babalik probinsya, yan po ang hinihintay namin, kesa dito ganito kahirap ang buhay,” she said.“Awang-awa ako sa tao. Di bale sana kung binigyan ng shelter, ng malilipatan. Eh wala ho eh. Basta na lang iniwan, di man lang binigyan ng tubig o food pack. Nakaka-awa po,” added Reyes.But Biazon said the offer of assistance stays. &quot;If ever, siguro we can offer again. Sa mga unang tumanggi, these assistance we can give to them,” he said.<div>FROM THE ARCHIVE</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2425185" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Some families left homeless by a housing demolition in Muntinlupa City are appealing for help as they lament the difficulties they are going through while now staying in open spaces.

Families affected by housing demolition in Muntinlupa seek help

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Families affected by housing demolition in Muntinlupa seek help

Jasmin Romero,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 19, 2023 05:05 AM PHT

|

Updated January 19, 2023 02:37 PM PHT

Read More:

Muntinlupa

Susana Heights

demolition

housing

RA 7279

illegal settlers

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