Zambo September Siege: a Year after

Zambo September

Siege: a Year after

By Jocelyn P. Alvarez

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) – Exactly one year ago, boatloads of forces from a breakaway faction of the MNLF entered Zamboanga City and engaged elements of the Philippine Army in a firefight that led to a standoff.

Today, Zamboanga City government remembers the September 2013 siege with several activities to honor the fallen heroes, gallant soldiers and civilians and the entire Zamboangueños for their unity in defending the flag.

The celebration was highlighted by a simple ground breaking ceremony of houses on stilts in the floating barangay-Mariki, led by the National Housing Authority (NHA).

The Mariki housing project is a part of the Zamboanga City Road Map to Recovery and Reconstruction, or Z3R, the government’s rehabilitation effort and assistance to the thousands of Internally Displaced People (idps) caused by the seige.

Dubbed “September to Remember,” a Eucharistic Mass was celebrated early in the day.

To recall, the President approved the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) on December 22, 2013, with Php3.5-billion budget.

Concerned agencies were given 18 months to build back Zamboanga City starting, started in January of this year.

Z3R Rehabilitation Project Mariki

According to NHA Head Al Indanan, “642 housing units on stilts will be constructed in Mariki, one of the affected barangays during the siege,” adding that beneficiaries are families of siege fire victim who were previously resident in the place.

Following the ground breaking today “full blast construction will start next week,” assured Engr. Indanan. 

Completion of the 642 units is expected this December, Indanan said, explaining that each unit costs P175,000.

To date, two model houses were completely constructed to showcase how the actual houses on stilts look like.

Turn over of Housing Units –Z3R Paniran Resettlement Project

Shortly after the ground breaking in Mariki, NHA turned over to the City Government 120 land-based, duplex-type housing units in Paniran, Sta Catalina.

The city government then turned over the house keys to the IDP/family-awardees of Paniran resettlement site. These families were also victims of fire caused by the September siege.

Indanan said each unit has an area of 22 sq. Meter with construction cost at P175,000 per unit.

Z3R Project Objective

Z3R aims to improve the overall environment of the affected communities by ensuring hygiene and sanitation of communities, including appropriate social service facilities, infrastructure and amenities.

The project also targets to provide communities with livelihood opportunities.

As a long term objective, Z3R intends to protect coastal communities against storm surges and in general, help protect the environmentally-sensitive areas such as mangroves and waterways and comply with “no settlements” policy on hazards and danger zones.

Z3R also hopes to minimize adverse social impacts and relocation by prioritizing on-site housing rehabilitation and reconstruction and ensure culturally-sensitive housing developments for IPs.

Improving public safety and security of the community is also among the Z3R’s objectives, and to realize this, “police and military facilities will be provided and appropriate environmental protection measures will be ensured.”

An art exhibit, named “Alegria en Artes para los Niños y Niñas” was also organized at the city hall lobby, in observance of the Zamaboanga siege which left 140 dead and thousands of residents displaced. (NBE/JPA /PIA9) (091214)