SURVIVORS of super typhoon “Yolanda” in various parts of central Philippines recently aired grievances, saying, among others, that the housing units provided them were defective, lacked electricity and water among others.
Five years have passed since the disaster, they continue to worry. In some areas, houses given to survivors remain vulnerable to calamities. The situation has been reported immediately to the National Housing Authority (NHA) but no actions have been taken.
In northern Iloilo province, “Yolanda” survivors in Barangay Bacjawan Sur, Concepcion town have been complaining about various deficiencies in their housing units such as cracked floors, scaling of concrete walls, leaky roofing, uneven paint application, lack of water supply, and sloppy construction of toilets. The 1,000-unit housing project handled by NHA is worth P290 million. Each unit costs P290,000.
The situation in Concepcion and other parts of central Philippines that “Yolanda” battered almost half a decade ago shows how incompetent the government is in providing and prioritizing adequate housing to the survivors. Substandard houses were built despite the millions of dollars in donations from all over the world.
The previous Aquino administration had been criticized for its “criminal negligence” and for failing the people and now, sadly, the current administration has continued the travesty. This is a double disaster. And if even “Yolanda” survivors are neglected this much, how much more for other housing projects of the government?
In the words of the national chairperson of the Kadamay urban poor organization: “Magtatatlong taon na ang Pangulo, wala pa ring ginawa para tuluyan nang matapos ang problema sa pabahay ng ‘Yolanda’. Inutil, palpak.”
