Bulacan informal settlers to be relocated soon

BUSTOS, Bulacan—Hundreds of informal settlers living on identified geo-hazard zone along the Angat River will soon be relocated to a resettlement site in this town.

Mayor Arnel Mendoza of this town said that first batch of informal settlers will be resettled within the year.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) established a resettlement housing project in a seven hectare lot at Barangay Catacte here.

The mayor said that at least 80 percent of the 1,166 low coast housing units has been completed.

He said that informal settlers living along the banks of Angat River in Baliwag, Plaridel, Pulilan and this town were identified for resettlement.

For Bustos town alone, Mendoza said that at least 600 families has been identified.

“They are the ones who has been identified by the provincial and municipal government,” he said noting that said informal settlers are usual resident who used to be evacuated when Angat, Ipo and Bustos dams in the province release water into the Angat River.

According to Mendoza, community affairs officers (CAO) the Social Welfare and development office in the province and Bustos has coordinated with the residents for identification and validation of families that will be relocated.

He said that informal settlers offered not resistance.

The same was echoed by Amancio Surigao, Fatima Datiles and Erna Villamor, all residents living under the General Alejo Santos bridge that links this town with Baliwag town.

They said that they have been living under the bridge for more than 30 years and noted that when water on the Angat River is high, they have to evacuate on top of the bridge where they used to pitch tents.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to stay away from danger zone” said 52-year old Surigao in vernacular.

In a separate interview, 32-year old Datiles said she always fear for her three children when water on the river start rising.

She said that during the flood spawned by typhoon Pedring in 2012 and monsoon rains last year, they house was submerge and it made her fearful.

“My children are so young and I have to keep watch over them,” Datiles said.

Like Datiles and Surigao, Villamor welcome the housing project offered by the government in Barangay Catacte in Bustos town.

She said that it is not far from their sources of livelihood, but stressed that they might have problems with their children in going to school.

Villamor said that other families living along the bank of Angat River in Barangay Tibag, Baliwag have children attending nearby schools.

“Its just a walking distance from our house, that’s why we don’t have to worry much about transportation,” Villamor said in Filipino.

Earlier, Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado said that housing project developed by NHA in Bustos town will have school facilities along with a clinic and mini-market.

The said housing project is likely to be expanded to accommodate more informal settlers.

He also disclosed that the NHA is also developing another housing project in Pandi town for other informal settlers in the province.  (Dino Balabo)

Bulacan to replicate Shenzhen model for development

MALOLOS CITY– Despite strained diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines, Bulacan is looking to replicate the industrial development of Shenzhen province in southern China.

As this developed, the provincial government of Bulacan is preparing the Provincial Physical Framework Plan (PPFP) for presentation on March 1 to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., who hails from Pulilan town.

Ochoa, according to Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado is one of the brains behind the plan to replicate the Shenzhen model, a brainchild of the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping.

“We will meet with investors in Bulacan so that we can coordinate development projects and update our Physical Framework Plan,” said Alvarado.

Initially, the governor said that the PPFP has identified growth areas in the province which can be developed into business districts.

These include growth areas in the cities of Malolos, Meycauayan and San Jose Del Monte, along with those in the towns of Pulilan, Plaridel, Baliwag, and San Rafael.

Alvarado said that agriculture areas of San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael and the mountain town of Donya Remedios Trinidad will be impacted by past paced development in the province.

However, he noted that development will be inclusive of all other towns.

He said that they are now conducting inventory of local industries in Bulacan like the pyrotechnics industry in Bocaue, Sta. Maria, Baliwag and San Rafael along with jewelry-making in the City of Meycauayan and aquaculture in the coastal towns of Hagonoy, Paombong, Malolos, Bulakan and Obando.

“This will be an inclusive growth, hindi lang pagpapaganda ng kalsada at mga polisiya, kasama rin sa direct promotion ang production component ng mga industriyang nagbibigay ng development sa Bulacan,” Alvarado said.

With regards to the Shenzhen model, he said that it has not been finalized yet, but they are looking forward to replicating its industrialization and modernization experience.

Based on documents obtained by Punto, Shenzhen is one of the most successful economic zones in the world and the only city which developed at an unprecedented rate.

Records showed that Shenzhen is just a small fishing village with hilly and fertile agrarian land, and with population of only 30,000 when it was established as an special economic zone in 1979.

Today, Shenzhen is a sprawling and high technology manufacturing and service city with over 14.5 million population as of 2012.

Located north of Hongkong, Shenzhen’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was $14,615 in 2010 and is expected to rank 11th in the world in terms of GDP per capita by 2025.

Records also showed that Shenzhen now has more than 6,000 design companies with more than 60,000 employees.

According to Alvarado, Bulacan shares a lot of similarities with Shenzhen as far as location and topography is concerned.

Like Shenzhen, Alvarado said Bulacan also has a hilly and fertile agrarian area, coastal area and it is located just north of Metro Manila.

He said that fast paced development in Bulacan must be carefully planned to ensure balance and protection of ecology.

Cemeteries as tourist attractions

BALIWAG, Bulacan—Cemeteries must be preserved and developed into tourist destination, a heritage conservation group based in Bulacan urged.

Jaime Corpuz, chair of the Bulacan chapter of the Heritage Conservation Society (HCS) said cemeteries are not just home to dead loved ones.

He said that it is a repository of images and artifacts with cultural and historical, and resting place of people of importance.

“We have so much to learn about cemeteries, but not too many government unit or agency have seen its significance,” Corpuz said.

He said that monuments like mausoleum and sculpture in cemeteries are good basis for cultural and historical studies.

“Those are historical time pieces that will tell us how our ancestors lived in the past, and what are the influences of other countries to our culture by studying architecture and sculptures,” said Corpuz.

He stressed that cemeteries, especially those that are owned by the Church and by local government be protected and preserved.

Corpuz also proposed tourism programs like Lakbay Kaluluwa study tours be developed by local government units.

The same was echoed by Isagani Giron, the president emeritus of the Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulacan (Sampaka).

 

He said that before a tourism program is developed, local government units must join hands with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the Catholic church in conducting inventory of materials with cultural and historical significance.

“We only go to cemeteries during All Saints day, but it is good subject for cultural and historical studies,” he said.

He cited the Malolos Catholic Cemetery which was built in 1680 as one of the oldest in the country and is the resting place of some of the remains of the members of the famous women of Malolos.

He also agreed with Corpuz that cemeteries are considered as second home to Filipinos, thus, the construction of house like mausoleums.

“Mausoleums are clear example of Spanish influence in our culture because native Filipinos do not have cemeteries, instead, our ancestors used to bury their dead by the river,” Giron explained.

For his part, Father Ruel Arcega of the St. Augustine parish here said that going to cemetery on All Saints day have deeper religious meaning.

““Ito ay pagkilala natin sa muling pagkabuhay, at sa huling araw ng paghuhukom, ang muling pagsasama ng kaluluwa at katawan katulad ng ipinakita ni Panginoong Hesus at Birheng Maria,” said Arcega

With regards to cultural dimension of mausoleums in cemeteries, the priest explained that it’s a testament of the difference betweenthe rich and poor.

On Saturday, the STAR took photos of the mausoleums inside the Sto. Cristo Catholic Cemetery here.

Some of the mausoleums even have a roof top and others were designed like a house complete with power and water supply and comfort room.  (Dino Balabo)