ILOILO City – Six years after super typhoon “Yolanda” hit Western Visayas, 70.71 percent of the housing projects for displaced families have been completed as of July 31, 2019, according to Cabinet secretary Karlo Nograles, citing an update from the National Housing Authority (NHA).
These housing units are in 50 municipalities found in six provinces.
The Cabinet secretary said their commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte was to complete the remaining housing units by 2020.
Some local government units reported problems but NHA committed to address them, said Nograles during a recent visit here.
Among these problems were the lack of water and electricity connections.
“So we’re asking the Local Water Utilities Administration and National Electrification Administration, kasama na diyan ang mga electric cooperatives natin, to fast-track the connectivity,” said Nograles.
In NHA’s Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP) report as of July 31 this year, of the 205,128 total housing demand in the so-called “Yolanda corridor” (areas badly hit by the super typhoon), 117,203 (57.14 percent) are in Region 6.
Of the 117,203 housing units, 82,873 (70.71 percent) have been completed and of these, 36,474 units (44 percent) are now occupied while 46,399 units (56 percent) are ready for occupancy.
Here’s the breakdown of housing units per Region 6 province:
* Aklan – 15,148
* Antique – 18,177
* Capiz – 12,036
* Iloilo – 43,987
* Negros Occidental – 27,055
“Ang commitment namin sa national government is to hasten the completion of the housing units. But we’re also seeking the commitment of local government units to hasten the awarding of completed houses to the beneficiaries,” said Nograles.
A mechanism to do this is through the Local Interagency Committees (LIACs) that will identify the recipients of the housing units.
“We need the help of our local governments. Under the local interagency committee, it is the mayor who sits as chairperson. The selection committee is under the LIAC, so not the mayor per se but the selection of beneficiaries should go to the process of the local interagency committee,” said Nograles.
Of the 50 municipalities in the region that have “Yolanda” housing projects, 28 have active LIACs while 22 are still for re-orientation, said Nograles./PN
