LUBAO— The local government units and the agencies of the national government had converged for the formation of the Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC) to fast tract the government’s response on relocation and housing issues in the province.

Elizabeth Baybayan, provincial social welfare and development officer (PSWDO) disclosed details on the participation and role of the provincial government with the formation of LIAC.

“The departments of the provincial government as members of LIAC are trying its best to deliver the needed resources, services and to have something done as soon as possible, especially now that the rainy season is coming,” Baybayan said.

She said the project aims to prioritize those people who live along water ways, coastal areas, creeks and riversides.

“We plan to relocate them somewhere safer and to determine the possible relocation where we can put up our permanent evacuation centers,” Baybayan said.

As a result of the convergence of the national and local government, LIAC is now composed of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council  (HUDCC), spearheaded by Vice President Jejomar Binay, National Housing Authority (NHA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Provincial and Municipal departments, barangay affairs and private sector groups.

According to PSWDO, this framework also needs to create sub-committees that will focus on the detailed aspects of LIAC such as planning, social preparation, site preparation, security, beneficiary selection and many more.

“The DILG is already doing their survey on how many residents will be given benefits from LIAC.”

Baybayan added that Governor Pineda as the chairperson of LIAC, is giving her full support in order to give descent housing unit to the rural poor of Pampanga.

Relative to this, the provincial government headed by the PSWDO and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) inspected a total of 200 hectares of land in Sasmuan and Macabebe towns.

The Capitol is eyeing to establish the resettlement for the informal settlers and permanent evacuation centers in the said towns.

The LIAC recently started the preliminary preparations for the resettlement and housing project in Magalang town and will soon grant lot titles to the beneficiaries, according to Jill Matienzo of PSWDO.