48 Displaced San Pedro “Railway” Families Gets New Homes
By Lane Afable, News Editor
Some 48 families directly affected by the North-South Commuter Railway Extension Project in San Pedro, Laguna, formally received their housing units at Sining Residences I at the formal turnover the other day.
The initial beneficiaries of the project were urban poor families of ANUEFAVITA homeowners of San Pedro City.
The project is located in Barangay Bagong Silang, called Sining Residences 1 comprising 11 buildings that will house a total of 528 families. Each unit has a 27sqm space that includes a one-bedroom layout with its own toilet and bath.
It is also reported that the project will also include a park, playground, and a multipurpose center to support community life.
The housing project, implemented by the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and funded by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), is part of a broader resettlement initiative by both agencies that will benefit thousands of families affected by the ongoing massive railway modernization along the stretch of Solis, Manila, and Calamba, Laguna.
SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa said the completion of the project marks a significant step in the Marcos administration’s resettlement efforts for communities impacted by major infrastructure development.
Leading the ceremonial turnover were SHFC DOTr Assistant Secretary Irish Calaguas, Mayor Art Joseph Francis Mercado, and Asec. Hernando Caraig, Jr., who represented Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling.
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor Chairperson Michelle Anne Gonzales, Vice Mayor Sheriliz Niña Almoro, and Asian Development Bank Representative Mary Ann Botengan also attended the event.
The project is implemented under the SHFC Resettlement Services Group, led by Vice President Bob Flores.
Laxa said that the turnover is only the beginning of a broader vision for the community’s growth and development.
“Hindi po kami titigil hangga’t hindi natin napapaganda at napapaunlad ang inyong komunidad,” he said, reaffirming SHFC’s commitment to the transformative approach in housing.
Laxa also expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for his unwavering support of SHFC’s housing initiatives, which make
Calaguas credited the project’s success to strong inter-agency collaboration, while Caraig reaffirmed DHSUD’s commitment to expanding access to resilient and affordable housing under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.
Gonzales pledged continued support through livelihood and community development programs, while Mayor Mercado and Vice Mayor Almoro expressed their gratitude to national agencies involved in the project for helping uplift the lives of their constituents.
More than a relocation effort, the turnover marks a fresh start for beneficiary families who previously faced uncertainty due to displacement.
ANUEFAVITA homeowners’ association president, Dennis Santiago said, the new housing unit marks a life-changing shift from living along the railway to a place they can truly call home.
“Sa lahat po ng naging bahagi ng proyektong ito mula sa pagpaplano hanggang sa pagsasakatuparan, kami po ay taos-pusong nagpapasalamat,” he said.
“Maraming salamat din po kay President Bongbong Marcos, Jr., sa magandang proyektong gaya nito.”
