Barangay Pansol

Background

Barangay Pansol in Quezon City has a land area of approximately 148 hectares. Areas included in its
jurisdiction are the exclusive subdivisions La Vista and part of Loyola Grand Villas, the depressed areas
Kaingin 1 and Kaingin 2, Pansol proper and the Balara Filtration Compound. Pansol Proper, Kaingin 1 and
Kaingin 2 have a total land area of 5.6 hectares while the rest is occupied by the exclusive subdivisions
and the Balara Filtration.

During the Spanish time, Brgy. Pansol was a sitio of balara, a barrio of Marikina, Rizal. The sitio was
sparsely populated with small scale farming and a cottage industry of footwear as the main source of
livelihood. The whole area was for farming activities. The Tuazon family, who owned a large part of the
sitio also owned the largest plantation of sugar cane in the area.

During the liberation of Metro Manila from Japanese occupation, families from Marikina and Montalban
transferred to Pansol to avoid the dangers of the battle between the Americans and the Japanese. After
the World War II and the people have already settled in in Pansol, a person from Marikina started asking
payments for land tax. Eventually, that person was replaced by MWSS (NAWASA) and the residents
were charged ten centavos per square meter.

From 1972 to 1982, MWSS, who was claiming ownership, was already informing the informal settlers to
vacate the land because it would be used for the employees housing project. In 1976, ex-President
Ferdinand Marcos called for a Referendum-Plebiscite wherein residents of barangays were asked if
Martial Law should still continue. To get the votes of the whole barangay Pansol, First Lady Imelda
Marcos talked to the Council of Women of the barangay and told them that if the whole barangay
approved the continuation of Martial Law, she would make sure that the land would be transferred to
the residents. A month after the result of the referendum-plebiscite was announced, the result being in
favor of Martial Law, personnel from the city planning office started tagging those houses identified to
have supported the Martial Law. Having the tag in your house means the structure is part of the Zonal
Improvement Program (ZIP) of the government. However, not all who voted yes is qualified to be a
beneficiary. If a resident is a renter, the land would automatically go to the owner of the structure. From
1982 to 1989, the barangay council prepared the beneficiaries documents needed to acquire the land.

In 1986, DAUPALAD, an association of depressed areas in Quezon City, was invited to attend Pres.
Corazon Aquinos housing turn-over. At that time, DAUPALAD should only be represented by one
person. Mrs. Julie Inciong of Brgy. Pansol was chosen to represent DAUPALAD. Then Barangay Captain,
Boy San Diego, thought that the event was a good opportunity to ask help from the President since Mrs.
Inciong will be meeting her. They prepared a letter signed by all block leaders requesting the President
to intervene with Brgy. Pansols problem with MWSS. At the same event, all Areas for Priority
Development (APD), including Pansol, will be receiving a development plan made by the National
Housing Authority. When Mrs. Inciong met the President, she gave the letter and the President told her
that she will receive a response within ten days. After a few days, Mrs. Inciong received a call requesting
her to go to the UP Asian Institute of Tourism because the manager of MWSS was there. At the event,
they were informed that Pres. Aquino and the Manager of MWSS have agreed to award the land
provided that the World Bank will pay MWSS. However, it does not mean that the land would be given
for free. The residents had to pay the National Housing Authority through the Home Mortgage Program.
After full payment is made, the land title is transferred to the owner. Also, as part of the development
plan for the priority areas, services such as electricity and water supplies were already arranged by the
government for the residents.

Facilities and Services

Educational Facilities

There are three Day Care Centers in Barangay Pansol; one each for Paltok, Kaingin 1 and Kaingin 2.
The nearest public elementary school is the Balara Elementary School and the Balara High School
which is just a walking distance from Pansol proper. The nearest colleges and universities to the
barangay are the UP Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University and Miriam College. The barangay also
adopted the Alternative Learning System (ALS) program of the Department of Education. ALS is the
ladderized, modular non-formal program for dropouts in the elementary and high school level.
Barangay Pansol also has a public library near the barangay hall.

Markets and Supermarkets

Many residents in Southgate Street opened stores in the

area making the street look like a mini-market or talipapa.
Food and non-food item are sold in the stores while small
carinderia serves meals and snacks. In case residents would
like to go to a supermarket, the nearest one is
Shoppersville along Katipunan Avenue.

Transportation Services

There is no jeepney terminal inside the compound of Pansol. However, one can walk or ride a
pedicab to Katipunan Avenue to ride a jeepney. The tricycle terminal can be found in Southgate
Street while the pedicab terminal is just near the MWSS gate.
Open Public Recreation Places

Pansol has a basketball court near the barangay hall. However, there are no playgrounds in the area.
Children are playing on the street.

Safety and Security Services

There is neither a police station nor a police outpost in the vicinity of Barangay Pansol. Should there
be any safety or security concern, the first to respond will be the barangay.

Religious Places

Barangay Pansol has a chapel near the barangay hall. Mass is held in the chapel every Sunday. The
Sta. Maria dela Strada Church in Katipunan Avenue is also a few minutes walk or a pedicab/tricycle
away from Pansol.

Health Center

The barangay has a health center that gives basic services that are mandated by the Department of
Health. Should the health issue be complex, the residents would have to travel a little farther since
there are no hospitals in the vicinity.

Mechanism for Disaster Preparedness and Response

The Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office is in the process of being established.
As mandated in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, local government units are
tasked to lead in disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and rehabilitation. The mechanisms for
disaster preparedness and response are also being established to ensure safety of the residents
during hazard events.

Organizations

The most prominent organization in Barangay Pansol is the Homeowners Association (HOA). The
HOA played a big role in the transfer of the land from MWSS to the inhabitants of Pansol from early
1970s to late 1980s. Together with the barangay, they implement projects to help the residents living
in the depressed areas.

Conclusion

The history of Barangay Pansol and their struggle to gain ownership of the land was long but with
persistence of the barangay and the residents, the land where they were constantly asked to vacate
is now their own. However, not all were fortunate. People in the depressed areas still remained
 landless because of their stubbornness to work with the barangay. Still, the barangay still hopes that
someday, they would be able to help those in the depressed areas achieve ownership of the land

Note:
Information gathered regarding Barangay Pansol mostly came from Mrs. Julie Inciong, Barangay
Councilor. She has been serving Barangay Pansol since the 1970s. Other information came from the
Quezon City Public Library website (http://www.qcpubliclibrary.org/brgyprofile.php).