BAGUIO CITY – The Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) chaired by lawyer James Mark Terry Ridon in coordination with the City Government of Baguio through the office of Councilor Leandro B. Yañgot, Jr. conducted a summit for the aggrupation of landless Baguio City residents last May 9 at the BENECO Conference Hall, Southdrive, Baguio City.
It was attended by close to 400 participants coming from the different homeowners’ associations/urban poor associations where most are groups occupying areas covered by existing proclamations who are longing to have the area they occupied finally awarded to them/titled in their names.
The PCUP to presented their various programs, projects and activities that their office has to offer for the benefit of the Urban Poor.
PCUP Chair Terry Ridon discussed his seven-point agenda and gave emphasis on the “No Relocation No Demolition” policy of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte which forbids demolition of informal settlers’ dwellings if there is no available relocation site like what he did in Davao City.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Councilors Yangot and Lilia Farinas who chairs the urban poor committee of the city council also gave messages to the participants and entertained queries relative to their concerns.
Lawyer James Mabulay of the Social Housing Finance Corporation(SHFC) oriented the participants on the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) they are offering which allows qualified urban poor group to avail of shelter/housing loans while Ms. Joan Cananena of the HUDCC central office discussed the processes involved in the segregation for housing purposes areas covered by existing proclamations that are already occupied by long time residents. The BENECO on the other hand presented and discussed their programs that caters to urban poors as well as their new policy that offers financial assistance in the amount of P5,000.00 to the bereaved family of a BENECO Member-consumer who dies.
The different homeowners associations/urba poor groups later on federated and elected their federation officers with Kag John P. Dongla of the Navybase Homeowners Association as their federation president. They took their oath before Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan a day after. The newly formed group named Federation of Landless Urban Poor Associations (FEDLUPA) vows to assist and help in all endeavors of the landless residents of Baguio in order that they may be able to reach their respective aspirations.
Councilor Yangot was the co-convenor of the summit and worked with the PCUP so that the concerns of the urban poor more particularly on their requests that the lands they are occupying be personally brought to the PCUP CHAIR for his action.
The PCUP chair made a commitment to the participants that he will schedule meetings with the heads of the agencies concerned relative to their requests for segregation.** Marvin Binay-an
