Maverhick: Shanty

THE MANY COLORS OF THE LANIT RELOCATION CENTER Iloilo, Community, Lanit, Advocacy, Relocation, Center, Housing, Iloilo River, Esplanade, Shanty, Squatters, Settlers, Livelihood, Immersion

IT’S a striking view from a distance, clean rows of brightly colored houses in alternating pastel hues, standing proud against the rice paddies that surround it. Up close you see how each house has a unique character of its own, with differently decorated porches, some with small gardens and patches of grass, others with picket fences and screen doors, there are even a few Sari-sari Stores and signs for businesses and livelihood: tailors, repairmen, food vendors.

This fledgling new community has been named the Iloilo River Plains Subdivision and it houses Ilonggo families who used to be informal settlers around our city.

In the past few years, we’ve seen the flourish and development of the Iloilo River, the introduction of the Iloilo River Esplanade - a park that runs along the length of the river, the construction of new ports and an effort to improve the ones we already have, a continuing endeavour to halt pollution, and most notably the removal of shanty houses and informal settlements that have clustered on different areas near the riverbanks of our city.

Jojie Depita and her family of eight used to live at San Jose, Molo near the Old City Slaughterhouse and across the newly built Iloilo Medical City. There she and her husband, a laborer, struggled to find means to provide for their large family in a cramped and narrow house, raised out of the river’s grimy waters only by stilts.

Manang Jojie and her family was first faced with the need to relocate in 2012 when it was announced that their humble dwelling was scheduled to be demolished. She had always feared that this day would come and try as they could, their meagre resources couldn’t survive the blow of losing a home.

Luckily, they we’re given a chance to start anew, to be a recipient of the city’s newest housing project that catered to those displaced by the development of the Iloilo River. They were one of nearly a thousand other families given this new opportunity.

Though it’s been nearly two years since they transferred, Manang Jojie admits that each new day is still an adjustment process. Far from the bustle of the city and fare being expensive, her family and most other residents are wary of travelling from their community.

This is why Jojie has decided to just watch over her children while her husband earns a living as a carpenter in the city. Many others report a difficulty in finding livelihood so far from Iloilo’s business hubs. The closest public school is in the next town, requiring children to travel by tricycle, but in most cases to walk, nearly a kilometre just to attend their classes during weekdays. For a time people feared using their areas’ deep well water supply, as it was reported to be contaminated.

Lanit continues to flourish in all its bright color, the mere sight of it is enough to inspire the curiosity of any passer-by, and the families that call this their new home, nearly a thousand strong, make the village radiate even brighter.