MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
[ Memorandum Order No. 113, September 18, 2000 ]
CREATING THE COMMITTEE ON NORTHRAIL RESETTLEMENT PROJECT AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR
WHEREAS, the National Government has designated as one of its Flagship Projects the Northrail Project which will reactivate the rail service north of Metro Manila and facilitate transportation and development in Central and Northern Luzon;
WHEREAS, the work involved in the Northrail Project has two components, namely, rail construction and resettlement of informal settlers along the rail right-of-way (ROW);
WHEREAS, it is within the competence of the government to undertake the clearing of the ROW and the relocation and resettlement of the informal settlers living thereon;
WHEREAS, due to the magnitude of the project in terms of area and in the number of families affected, there is need for the active participation and support of the heads of the key agencies and local government units (LGUs) required to implement the project; and,
WHEREAS, various Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) between the Provincial Government of Bulacan and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) / Northrail have been executed for the provision of support by the latter to the Provinces Norzagaray Township Project (ERAP-BUHAI Project) as part of the Resettlement Site for the informal settlers to be affected by the Northrail Project in Bulacan.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
Section 1. Creation of the Northrail Resettlement Project Committee. There is hereby created the Northrail Resettlement Project Committee (herein referred to as the Committee) which shall take charge of implementing the Northrail Resettlement Project.
a. Composition. The Committee shall be chaired by the Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) with the following as members:
1. Chairman and President, North Luzon Railways Corporation (NLRC)
2. Governors of concerned Provincial Governments
3. General Manager, National Housing Authority
4. One Representative of the Peoples Organizations or the Organizations of the Beneficiaries accredited by the Local Governments of either Kalookan, Malabon and/or Valenzuela to be appointed by the President
5. One Representative of the Non-Government Organizations accredited by the Local Government of either Kalookan, Malabon and/or Valenzuela to be appointed by the President
6. One Representative from each of the LGUs of Kalookan, Malabon and Valenzuela
b. Powers and Functions. Consistent with the Schedule for the rail construction, the Committee shall have the following powers and functions:
1. Define the projects strategies of implementation.
2. Formulate policies and guidelines on:
2.1 Qualified beneficiaries for the project;
2.2 Housing finance for the beneficiaries; and,
2.3 Project administration and other implementation requirements.
3. Formulate systems and procedures for project implementation.
4. Determine the width of the right-of-way easement throughout the length of the railway line.
5. Prepare the projects work program and budget.
6. Monitor and evaluate all phases of project implementation.
7. Make final decisions on all cases and issues affecting project implementation which cannot be resolved at the operations level.
Section 2. Project Administrator. The Northrail Resettlement Project Committee is authorized to appoint the Project Administrator who will take charge and be responsible for the completion of the project. The Project Administrator shall have the authority to designate one deputy administrator.
The Project Administrator shall provide financial, technical and administrative support services to the Committee.
Section 3. Support and Participating Agencies. The following agencies are hereby directed to participate and provide support needed to ensure the successful implementation of the project:
1. Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) - shall coordinate the transfer and relocation of affected informal settler families to a resettlement site, source funding for the resettlement undertaking and monitor the same;
2. North Luzon Railways Corporation (NLRC) ? shall transfer the funds that may be obtained from Official Development Assistance (ODA) for the resettlement project to the appropriate implementing agency of the HUDCC that shall be identified by the HUDCC for the purpose; and provide a timetable for the relocation program consistent with the rail construction schedule.
3. Concerned Provincial and Municipal Governments ? shall take the lead in conducting the social preparation of the affected households and provide cooperation in the establishment of resettlement sites, facilitate the issuance of required permits; provide welfare, nutrition, day care, and community development services, and assistance to women, children, and the elderly; and undertake the actual relocation, which includes dismantling of affected structures.
4. National Housing Authority (NHA) ? shall assist the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Kalookan, Malabon and Valenzuela in the allocation of resettlement sites including the conduct of social preparation for the subsequent batches of affected informal dwellers, assist in the provision of estate management;
5. Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) - shall make available its guaranty facility to enhance the features of housing bonds to be issued for the Northrail to provide interim financing for the resettlement undertaking;
6. Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) - shall serve as a lending window, in addition to existing financing windows, to eligible beneficiary-borrowers;
7. Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) - shall provide educational services to the project beneficiaries;
8. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - shall extend augmentation to the concerned provincial and municipal governments in providing welfare, nutrition, day care centers, and community development services to project beneficiaries;
9. Department of Health (DOH) - shall provide health and medical services to project beneficiaries;
10. Technology and Livelihood and Resource Center (TLRC) - shall assist housing beneficiaries in developing community enterprises for livelihood and income generation; and,
11. Commission on Human Rights (CHR) - shall ensure that human rights are respected in the actual clearing of illegal structures in the right-of-way.1aшphi1
Section 4. Funding Requirement of the Northrail Resettlement Project. Funding requirement for the Northrail Project shall be advanced from the proceeds of the Socialized Housing Bonds (SHBs) which will be guaranteed by Home Guaranty Corporation. Said advances shall be reimbursed from the fund proceeds to be obtained from the Official Development Assistance (ODA) or any soft term loans.
Upon approval and release of the ODA funds, the same shall be used to repay the SHBs for the advances.
Done in the City of Manila, this 18Th day of September, in the Year of Our Lord Two Hundred.
(Sgd.) JOSEPH EJERCITO ESTRADA
By the President:
(Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA
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