Apply for mortgage program, Salmonan residents urged

DAVAO City Planning and Development Office Housing and Home Site Division chief Roy Ryan Rigor yesterday said that he already advised the Salmonan residents affected by the demolition to apply for the community mortgage program.

"To those who were asking regarding their relocation, we already advised this morning (yesterday) to apply for the community mortgage program (CMP)," Rigor told reporters yesterday.

He said that some of the residents in the area asked if they can be cen-

sus tagged and be relocated through city government but Rigor said even if they will conduct that now it will not be a remedy for their displacement.

"If i-census namo mo karon, do you think that you will be out of the area by Monday? It is not that easy," he said.

He said that since the residents refused their tagging before, the only recourse for them now is to avail CMP and this will take a longer process.

"They should work it out with the Socialized Housing Finance Corporation and our office will just provide technical assistance," he said.

He said that their office is willing to give assistance in forming the association, and their registration to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

Rigor said that in applying for CMP, the residents must form an association, which they will register to the HLURB. Before they can register, however, they must already have an identified lot and the lot's owner should issue an intent to sell.

He said that the SHFC will help them buy a lot payable by the residents for years.

Rigor said that this process would have been easier if the residents were census tagged earlier because they will be able to know who are the qualified and disqualified.

Those who will be qualified for relocation can immediately occupy identified available city lot, while those who cannot qualify are those recommended to apply for CMP wherein residents will have to choose the land and agree on the amount they will pay.

He said that residents should not refuse census tagging from the government since it is very vital.

"Once the government will go to the area (entertain them) because we cannot stop demolition, if they were only entertained and were given right data, maybe the government can give better intervention, compared now that its already too late, just because we were refused entry before," he said.

He said that he is hopeful that this will serve as lession for the residents to grab earlier opportunity to relocate while the land owner still offers such, and the city government can still intervene.

He also said that those who have been advised on the demoliton in Barangay 40-D near Bolton Bridge already availed money from the SHFC and will only have to wait when they could occupy their loaned lots.