Families displaced by the fire in Kasanyangan and housed at the Don GEMS Elementary School covered court will be allowed to construct temporary shelters at the ground zero, as the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the City Government are laying ground works for the rebuilding of houses for them under the concept of the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction or Z3R.
With this, the earlier plan to utilize the Pasonanca Convention Center as temporary evacuation site is now scrapped.
This was the consensus reached during a consultative meeting spearheaded by the City Government Wednesday morning at the Don GEMS Elementary School covered court in Sta. Catalina, as instructed by Mayor John Dalipe.
Present during the consultation were Executive Assistant II Amado Natividad Jr., City Social Welfare and Development Officer Socorro Rojas, Housing and Land Management Division Chief Rodrigo Pagotaisidro, NHA officials, CDRRMO representatives and other agencies concerned.
Pagotaisidro said the displaced families have promised to start construction of temporary houses at the original site within 10 days, as his office has already completed survey and tagging activities.
Mayor Dalipe last Monday tasked concerned departments to explore all possibilities to ensure the immediate clearing of the Sta. Catalina evacuation site stating that the prolonged stay of the families affect school operations.
According to Pagotaisidro the issue about financial assistance for the affected families including cash for work while they construct their temporary houses were also discussed by the CSWDO.
He added that the permanent houses will be constructed by the NHA with funding support from Sen. Robin Padilla who has allocated funds for the purpose. Downloading the amount will take time which is why the building of temporary shelters in ground zero will be allowed. (Sheila Covarrubias, photo courtesy by Kathy Wee Sit)
(Source: City Government of Zamboanga Facebook page)