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[av_heading heading=’Mobilizing homeowners associations’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY IKE SEÑERES
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THE BARANGAY is supposed to be the smallest political unit in our society. As it actually happens however, there are many villages within a barangay that are just smaller parts of it, and these smaller villages are in effect the smallest political units in our society.
They go by many names such as purok or sitio, but the bottom line is the same, that these are the smallest units. More often than not, the so-called villages in the more affluent sections have their own homeowners associations, usually in the gated communities in the urban areas.
Originally I thought that only the owners of the houses in these villages could be considered as the homeowners. As it turns out, however, even the renters of these houses could be considered as homeowners, if they have resided in the villages for at least six months.
As it is actually happening now, only the gated communities both in the urban and rural areas are forming their own homeowners associations. As it could actually happen, however, even the “un-gated” communities in both these areas could also form their own homeowners associations, regardless of whether they own their dwellings or not, and regardless of whether they own the legal titles to the lands where they have built these dwellings or not.
What is not important in this context is the ownership of the dwellings and the lands. What is important is that they have resided in these communities for at least six months. In other words, it does not matter if they are renters or squatters, for as long as they are residents of those communities.
Do take note that in the case of the “un-gated” communities, I am using the term “dwellings” instead of houses. That is so because many of those dwellings are makeshift, so much so that we could hardly call them “houses.”
If you ask me whether those dwellings are habitable, I will say yes, but I will have to stretch the meaning of what that word really means. As of now, we may have to leave out those who are “homeless,” because it would be very difficult to establish their residency.
For all intents and purposes therefore, anyone in the community could join the homeowners association within, for as long as they have a place to stay that would be the basis for establishing their residency. (To be continued/PN)
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