Decent housing brings dignity and discipline to residents

ABy fter the onslaught of typhoon Ondoy in 2009, the city government of Valenzuela built the very first Disiplina Village in Barangay Ugong. During that time, during the administration of then city mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, the city government wanted to move the illegal settler families (ISFs) out of harm’s way as dwelling near the Tullahan River proved to be dangerous during the typhoon season.

Today, the Disiplina Village is a showcase of how an LGU can make its public rental housing project a success. More than a thousand ISFs now have a decent place to call home, far from the perilous areas where they used to build their shanties.

According to Valenzuela’s Housing and Resettlement Office’s (HRO) engineer Mark Dizor, the Disiplina Village Ugong has a total land area of 1.9 hectares.

The Phase 1 of Disiplina Village Ugong, which was funded by the local government with the help of some private entities, has 22 two-storey buildings. Each building has 16 units. Each unit has a total size of 28 sqm (main floor is 16 sqm while the loft is 12 sqm).

Meanwhile, the Phase 2 was shouldered by the National Housing Authority (NHA). It has 17 three-storey buildings. Each building has 36 units.

For the project, NHA allotted about R160 million while the city government and local corporations gave around R140 million. It took about R300 million to build and develop the 1.9-hectare relocation site.

“Around 892 families or about 4, 460 individuals are now living safely at the Disiplina Village in Barangay Bignay,” Dizor said.

The walled Disiplina Village Bignay has a covered court, tofu manufacturing facility for the residents’ livelihood, multi-purpose building, a day care center, and a health center.

In 2011, the Displina Village project was cited by the World Bank as a sustainable multi-partnership housing project model which other cities can emulate.

With 11.13 hectares, the Disiplina Village Bignay is dubbed as the biggest “in-city” relocation site in the country.

The second Dsiplina Village was built in January 2015 under the leadership of Mayor Rexlon Gatchalian who continued his brother’s mission to have an ISF-free city.

As of today, the 28 three-storey buildings at Disiplina Village in Barangay Bignay have been occupied by 951 families who were formerly living near creeks in Valenzuela. Each building has 36 units. The size of the units is the same as in Ugong, also at 28 sqm.

Dizor said there are 39 buildings being finished so that other ISFs dwelling in dangerous areas can move to Disiplina Village Bignay.

What sets Disiplina Village apart from other government housing project is that it provides a wholistic approach when it comes to addressing the needs of residents.

The relocation site in Bignay has four day-care centers (to allow mothers to still go their work), a mega health center, four basketball courts (to make the youth stay away from drugs), one chapel, a materials recovery facility (to educate them about eco-friendly practices), six playgrounds, two parks, 554 parking slots, a three-storey multi-purpose hall, a fire station, a police station, a health center, a jeepney terminal, two tricycle terminals, a three-storey elementary school building, a fourstorey high school building, a vegetable garden, a barangay hall, and a big market.

The fact that there is a major transport terminal makes the Disiplina It is alarming that quite a number of households do not have the slightest idea what soil treatment is – an important step in the prevention of termite infestation. Termites, certified “silent destroyers”, feast on and destroy wooden structures, books, and just about any material with cellulose slowly and insidiously, with homeowners usually learning about the extent of damage when it is too late. Soil treatment is the process of creating a barrier in the surrounding areas of the house to stop termites from travelling through the soil and into the foundations of a structure. Termites coming into contact with treated soil around the home would be repelled or killed — depending on the soil termiticide Village accessible to all. While the presence of schools will encourage the young ones to study as they don’t have to travel far – or spend much – just to earn a diploma.

Like the first relocation site, the Displina Village Bignay is also walled. Mayor Rex said there are security guards guarding the village to ensure peace and order.

The city government has invested about R210 million, while the NHA has given around R1.12 billion.

HRO head Elenita Reyes said that there are now only 2,038 families remaining that needs to be moved to the Disiplina Village Bignay, noting that when the other buildings are already finished, the families be relocated immediately.

Reyes added the relocation sites are located near factories so that the ISFs will have no problem looking for a job. applied — stopping them from entering the house. It is therefore important to have an efficient, convenient and costeffective soil termiticide, to significantly reduce the risk of termite infestation. Jardine Distribution, Inc. (JDI) offers one such soil termiticide — HomeTrek Soil Treatment — that, when applied to the perimeter of your home, creates a lethal liquid barrier against subterranean termites, preventing them from entering and destroying your home. HomeTrek uses a tried-and-tested active ingredient, Chlorpyfiros (CHP), which kills termites through contact, stomach, and vapor actions. Called a ‘strongkill termiticide’, it has a volatility that destroys termites, keeping the home safe from possible damage.

Each family residing in the two relocation sites pays only R300 a month. They are also given cash assistance by the local government so that they could pay connection fees for electricity and water.

“If they fail to pay for three consecutive months without any valid reason, they will be evicted,” Dizor said, citing Disiplina Village Bignay’s rule book.

Reyes said the families dwelling near danger zones were prioritized as per the instruction of the mayor.

Gatchalian said he is confident that before 2017 ends, there will be no more illegal settlers in Valenzuela. He said the 39 buildings remaining to be opened need a little finishing.

“Our remaining ISFs who dwell in danger zones will be moved to Displina Village Bignay. They can now sleep tight at night knowing they are safe,” Gatchalian added.

At first, many ISFs were hesitant to move because they thought the relocation sites are far from their work. But when Gatchalian showed them the location, they learned that it is near the factories.

“We do not send the ISFs to farflung areas where they can’t find work. The Disiplina Village is proof that we can have a relocation site inside the city where they can live productive and decent lives.” HomeTrek Soil Treatment likewise binds strongly with soil, creating a termite barrier that lasts from three to five years. However, the barrier does not leach into groundwater, effectively preventing contamination. Environment-friendly, it is non-systemic, so it is not absorbed by plants. Thus, there is no risk of leaving termiticide residues in plants. Termite infestation is one of the few domestic concerns that we often neglect, but could cause severe damage to our homes. Stop termite attacks with proper application of HomeTrek soil treatment. To ensure total termite solutions, apply Solignum wood preservative on wooden structure as protection from the attack of termites, woodborer and fungi.