The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) has reiterated to the National Housing Authority (NHA) its plea for the immediate relocation of informal settlers occupying the land that PAO had bought in Quezon City.
PAO Chief Persida V. Rued Acosta aired the appeal anew due to the ongoing construction of the new building at the property located along Commonwealth Avenue. The building will house PAO’s central offices.
Acosta said a 10-storey building is being constructed. The building will also house the regional offices of the PAO for the National Capital Region, Region 4A, and MIMAROPA, she said.
She lamented that there are still 15 families occupying portions of PAO’s lot.
“Nagmamakawa po kami sa NHA (We plead to the NHA),” Acosta said during her visit at the construction site on Thursday afternoon, Feb. 28. She posted her visit on her Facebook page.
“Sana po ilipat ninyo na po sila para maging mas maayos na ito dahil sa July magpe-phase two na (We hope that NHA would be able relocate the informal settlers because phase two of the construction project will start this July),” she pointed out.
She said that PAO and the construction company undertaking the project has already written to the NHA about the relocation of the informal settlers.
“Hindi po mayayari ito kung hindi maii-relocate (The construction won’t be finished if the informal settlers won’t be relocated),” she stressed.
Acosta said PAO bought the property from the NHA in 2016 for P142 million which is already fully paid for.
“Malaki po ang naibigay na pondo ng PAO para pang-relocation at pang-administration ng lote na ito (Huge funds have been allocated for the relocation and administration of the lot),” Acosta said.