To honor its commitment to provide quality housing and to rescue Informal Settler Families (ISFs) residing in danger zones or disaster-prone areas, Valenzuela City, in partnership with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and Gawad Kalinga (GK), inaugurates Disiplina Village Lingunan (DVL) today, October 15, 2020.

DVL is the third site in the City’s acclaimed in-city resettlement and community development program, the Disiplina Village.

Some 164 informal settler families (ISFs) who previously live under the danger of electric transmission lines in the barangays of Ugong and Mapulang Lupa to safer homes in Disiplina Village Lingunan.

Still in its first phase of construction, a total of 792 residential units clustered into 22 three-storey buildings will make up DVL upon its completion in 2021. The buildings are erected in tenement-like fashion to better maximize the limited space. Each 27 square-meter unit has 24/7 access to water and electricity.

NGCP’s transmission lines runs through five (5) barangays in Valenzuela City namely, Canumay East, Paso de Blas, Mapulang Lupa, Ugong and some small portions of Gen. T. De Leon. ISFs living under the transmission lines are estimated to be around 2,600 families, making the City Government of Valenzuela double its efforts in intensifying its public-private partnerships for housing and resettlement initiatives.   

In the Memorandum of Agreement signed last December 2018 which paved way DVL, NGCP financed the construction of the 22 medium-rise structure while Gawad Kalinga (GK) took care of the site building and development. As stipulated also in the MOA, GK shall also supervise various livelihood and values formation programs for the residents as the City Government values its constituents' holistic development.

Looking for a more “dignified” and brighter future for Valenzuelanos, the City Government of Valenzuela under the leadership of Mayor REX Gatchalian is now planning for the fourth and fifth Disiplina Villages – as an additional of two (2) more in-city resettlement sites, Disiplina VIlalge Arkong Bato and Disiplina Village La Mesa (Ugong), is now in the pipeline to accommodate the rest of the ISFs living under the transmission lines in Valenzuela City.

“Ang mga building na yan lahat yan may dignidad physically, pero walang dignidad yan kapag ang mga nakatira ay hindi magiging responsible na mga homeowners. Burahin niyo na sa mga isipan niyo na ang tawag sa inyo informal settlers… Ngayon, homeowners na po kayo. Ganap na kayong komunidad na may responsibilidad na maging maayos na kapitbahay,” Mayor REX shared.

“By the end of my term in 2022, I could proudly tell that there will be no more ISFs along the waterways and transmission lines in Valenzuela City,” he added.

Though DVL is still on its ongoing construction phase, a whole and liveable community is envisioned as more facilities will be added to the entire DVL complex including the completion of a multipurpose building, a covered court, day care center, urban farm, and park and playground facilities.

"Itong ginagawa ng ating lokal na pamahalaan ay kailangan talagang suportahan by the national government para tumaas ang kakayahan ng local government to ensure that the constituents of the city will have the best assistance and support coming from the government. And that's what we call good governance," Sec. Eduardo del Rosario, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), said.

Present to grace the inauguration and blessing ceremonies of 5 of the 22 DVL buildings are DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Chairman Alvin Feliciano, NGCP Vice President and Head of Central Project Office Mark Joseph Andeo, and Gawad Kalinga Executive Director Jose Luis Oquiñena.

Also joining Valenzela City Mayor REX Gatchalian in the celebration are Senator WIN Gatchalian, District 1 Representative Cong.  WES Gatchalian and District 2 Representative Cong. Eric Martinez, Vice Mayor Lorie Natividad-Borja and the City Council, Punong Barangay Danilo Delesmo and the Barangay Lingunan Council, Housing and Resettlement Office (HRO) Head Ms. Elenita M. Reyes and HRO staff, and the DVL Homeowners Association Officers.

Among the events highlights are the ceremonial turnover of the key to the units and the awarding of Certificates of Occupancy and Bibles to the DVL beneficiary families.

Bagong Bahay, Bagong Buhay sa Disiplina Village

At present, three Disiplina Villages —  Disiplina Village Ugong (DVU), Disiplina Village Bignay (DVB), and DVL — serve as shelter to more than 4,000 families in the city. DVU was established in 2009 for the benefit of the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. After seven years, the second Disiplina Village, DVB, was launched to take in other ISFs living along the dangers of waterways.

Disiplina Villages was institutionalized through  Ordinance No. 36, Series of 2011, otherwise known as "An Ordinance Establishing Disiplina Village as the Flagship Socialized Housing Program of Valenzuela City". It was the City's response to the growing poverty and pressing need to make decent housing available to the underprivileged and marginalized Valenzuelanos.

In addition to providing homes to the ISFs through its Disiplina Villages, the City Government endeavors to encourage and empower the beneficiaries to start afresh and strive to become responsible, productive, and disciplined members of the society.