ZAMBOANGA CITY — More than 400 families consisting of 2,413 individuals displaced by the 2013 siege will have to remain and celebrate Christmas and New Year in transitory sites.
Ma. Socorro Rojas, head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CWSDO), on Thursday said they have to remain at the transitory sites since their permanent shelters are not yet ready.
Rojas said the 427 families are housed in eight transitory sites located in Buggoc, Barangay Kasanyangan; Masepla 2 and 3, Mampang; PTSI, Upper Calarian; Lupa-Lupa, Rio Hondo; and, Tulungatung.
She said the National Housing Authority (NHA) has scheduled the turnover of permanent shelters this month “but it was not yet finalized.”
She said last coordination the NHA has done with her office was in November.
The NHA has yet to build more than 1,000 houses to enable the local government to close the remaining transitory sites.
The transitory sites (bunkhouses) serve as the temporary shelters for families displaced during the 21-day 2013 siege while the NHA is still building the permanent shelters.
Rojas disclosed that there were already 5,000 families who received their permanent shelters from the government.
The siege started on November 9, 2013 after hundreds of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) members loyal to MNLF Chairperson Nur Misuari infiltrated and laid siege in five coastal barangays of this city. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
