PRESS RELEASE
July 20, 2008
Office of Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri
Ref. Public Information Office
Telfax 3244644

Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri yesterday created a local inter-agency committee for regularizing the land occupancy status of informal settlers in the city.

According to Echiverri, there is a need to create a local inter-agency committee to address the clamor for security of tenure of “legitimate” residents, particularly the 10-hectare parcel of land in Camarin that was reserved for welfare projects of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Echiverri said it is has always been the policy of his administration to legalize the land tenurial status of informal settlers occupying public lands.

Under Executive Order No. 07-08, Echiverri serves as the LIAC chairman with City Administrator Russel Ramirez and Secretary to the Mayor Kristine Abustan acting as co-vice-chairman.

While its members include Ricojudge “RJ” Echiverri, Liga ng mga Barangay president; Nenita Macavinta, Community Relations Office OIC; Dante Esteban, Labor and Industrial Relations Office OIC; Alexander Bernadette, Urban Poor Affairs Office chief; Engr. Ramon Reside, Project Manager, National Housing Authority; Engr. Rolando Eduria, City Engineer; Anthony Pulmano, City Assessor’s Office OIC; Atty. Teresita Capacillo, City Legal Officer; Aurora Ciego, City Planning and Development Office OIC; Atty. Emmanuel Leonardo, Register of Deeds; Benigna Calabung, UPAO; and a representative from the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The inter-agency committee will serve as the coordinating body for the activities vital to the immediate reclassification of the DSWD property into socialized housing site and its disposition to bonafide residents.

Earlier, Proclamation No. 843 caused the reservation of some 10-hectare parcel of land of the Tala Estate in Camarin for various projects and programs of the DSWD.

It was later amended by Proclamation No. 825 which reclassified the use of the said DSWD property to include socialized housing.

Meanwhile, UPAO chief Alexander Bernadette said the LIAC was able to classify and provide for an in-city resettlement in Bagumbong, some 2, 800 families that would be affected by the Southrail project.

Bernadette added the city would also be providing livelihood projects to affected squatter families per order of Mayor Echiverri.