A team from the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development took part in a Cross-Learning Visit to four housing resettlement sites in Zamboanga City last June 14-18, 2022.

The group visited various sites that included Brgy. Tulungatong with resettlement area for untagged survivors from the ‘Zamboanga Siege’, Brgy. San Roque, Pasay, also known as the Bamboo Shelter for Bisaya resettlers, then to the Katilinban Community in Brgy. Sinunuc, and Rio Hondo, home of the Badjao resettlers.

The MHSD team was guided by the representatives from the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), with assistance from the Community and Family Services International (CFSI), Katilingban sa Kalambuan Organization, Inc. (KKI), and the Housing & Land Management Division (HLMD) of the Office of the Zamboanga City Mayor. These people established and managed their respective resettlement sites and they shared key learnings from their experiences of managing the projects.

Atty. Nasihah S. Mamarungcas, MHSD Legal Officer IV, said the insights from the visit will be used for the crafting of the Social Mobilization/Community Support Services Manual for the ministry’s housing and human settlement operations.

“Building progressive communities start from a group of people with progressive minds, working together towards achieving their goals,” Engr. Yasser S. Rapun, Chief of Housing and Human Settlements Division, said.

The resettlement sites in Tulungatung, Pasay, and Rio Hondo are under the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Rehabilitation (Z3R), the rehabilitation plan of the City Government of Zamboanga for the people affected by the 21-day ‘Zamboanga Siege’ in 2013.

Managed by the KKI, the resettlement site in Brgy. Sinunuc housed beneficiaries from the urban poor.

Before the actual site visits, the team members were initially oriented and briefed on some significant details about the sites held at the L’Meridian Suites Hotel.