QC TO ENFORCE NO CONSTRUCTION POLICY ON GUTTED NHA PROPERTY

The Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (QCDRRMC) members, in coordination with the Barangay Central Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, will strictly implement a “no construction policy” in the National Housing Authority (NHA) property along Agham Road near Quezon Avenue where a recent fire left about 3000 families homeless.

This after the city’s Department of Building Official (DBO) had conducted evaluations on the property and recommended that for the welfare of the displaced families, no building permits shall be issued to the fire victims due to the possible danger that may arise if they are allowed to return to their gutted homes.

Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) chief and QCDRRMC action officer Elmo DG. San Diego said that the recommendation of the council is in accordance with the preventive measure that the city government had imposed for the safety of the fire victims and to prevent another destructive incident that may happen if they return to the site.

The DBO will not issue a building permit to the displaced families prior to their return considering that during the recently held council meeting, the NHA property was declared unfit for the construction of shanties made of light materials.

Strictly adhering to a disaster risk reduction and mitigation policy is one of the hallmarks of the present administration and an integral part of the city’s sustainable plans to ensure the safety of QC residents.

In a bid to sustain the city’s efforts to guarantee the safety of the populace, the QCDRRMC will restrain the fire victims of the charred NHA property from entering and constructing any structure within the blazed property.

The Social Services Development Department (SSDD), on orders of Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, is conducting stress management lectures to counter distress and is also providing the fire victims with three meals a day before they are transferred to the relocation sites within the NHA’s housing project in San Jose del Monte in Bulacan and Barangay San Isidro in Montalban.

About 514 displaced families were already relocated to the NHA housing project.

The Quezon City government already released a total of P13.5 million from its calamity fund to help the fire- displaced families in the city. Rico/Maureen Quinones, PAISO