Shanties of 3,000 families along San Juan River to be demolished

The Metro Manila Development Authority will demolish in September the shanties of some 3,000 families living along San Juan River as part of efforts to solve the metropolis’ perennial problem with flooding. MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said Tuesday the informal settlers will be relocated to Calauan town in Laguna province “and other relocation sites". “Aside from the fact that these families have no right to occupy the waterways, our primordial concern here is to take them away from these areas that pose danger to their lives," Fernando said. He said the informal settlers who built homes along the nine-kilometer stretch of the river were identified as the cause of the perennial flooding during heavy rains in the cities of San Juan, Quezon City, Manila and Mandaluyong. The MMDA chairman pointed out that the San Juan River has been heavily silted by mud and polluted with garbage dumped by the informal settlers. Fernando, onboard a barge, inspected the rows of houses along the San Juan River. He was accompanied by San Juan Mayor Joseph Victor “JV" Ejercito and Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista. “In the case of the 3,000 affected families along the San Juan river, I assure them that there will a smooth, orderly and humane relocation and resettlement for them when the right time comes," Fernando said. -GMANews.TV