By Jocelyn P. Alvarez
Zamboanga
City Sept. 09 (PIA) -- Exactly one year ago, boatloads of forces from a
breakaway faction of the MNLF entered Zamboanga City and engaged
elements of the Philippine Army in a firefight that led to a standoff.
Today,
Zamboanga City government remembers the September 2013 siege with
several activities to honor the fallen heroes, gallant soldiers and
civilians and the entire Zamboangueños for their unity in defending the
flag.
The
celebration
was highlighted by a simple ground breaking ceremony of houses on
stilts in the floating barangay-Mariki, led by the National Housing
Authority (NHA).
The
Mariki housing project is a part of the Zamboanga City Road Map to
Recovery and Reconstruction, or Z3R, the government’s rehabilitation
effort and assistance to the thousands of Internally Displaced People
(idps) caused by the seige.
Dubbed “September to Remember,” a Eucharistic Mass was celebrated early in the day.
To
recall, the President approved the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery
and Reconstruction (Z3R) on December 22, 2013, with Php3.5-billion
budget.
Concerned agencies were given 18 months to build back Zamboanga City starting, started in January of this year.
Z3R Rehabilitation Project Mariki
According
to NHA Head Al Indanan, “642 housing units on stilts will be
constructed in Mariki, one of the affected barangays during the siege,”
adding that beneficiaries are families of siege fire victim who were
previously resident in the place.
Following the ground breaking today “full blast construction will start next week,” assured Engr. Indanan.
Completion of the 642 units is expected this December, Indanan said, explaining that each unit costs P175,000.
To date, two model houses were completely constructed to showcase how the actual houses on stilts look like.
Turn over of Housing Units –Z3R Paniran Resettlement Project
Shortly
after the ground breaking in Mariki, NHA turned over to the City
Government 120 land-based, duplex-type housing units in Paniran, Sta
Catalina.
The
city government then turned over the house keys to the
IDP/family-awardees of Paniran resettlement site. These families were
also victims of fire caused by the September siege.
Indanan said each unit has an area of 22 sq. Meter with construction cost at P175,000 per unit.
Z3R Project Objective
Z3R
aims to improve the overall environment of the affected communities by
ensuring hygiene and sanitation of communities, including appropriate
social service facilities, infrastructure and amenities.
The project also targets to provide communities with livelihood opportunities.
As
a long term objective, Z3R intends to protect coastal communities
against storm surges and in general, help protect the
environmentally-sensitive areas such as mangroves and waterways and
comply with “no
settlements” policy on hazards and danger zones.
Z3R
also hopes to minimize adverse social impacts and relocation by
prioritizing on-site housing rehabilitation and reconstruction and
ensure culturally-sensitive housing developments for IPs.
Improving
public safety and security of the community is also among the Z3R’s
objectives, and to realize this, “police and military facilities will be
provided and appropriate environmental protection measures will be
ensured.”
An art exhibit, named “Alegria en Artes para los Niños y Niñas” was also organized at the city hall lobby, in observance
of the Zamaboanga siege which left 140 dead and thousands of residents displaced. (NBE/JPA /PIA9)
