Samal, Bataan: The Local Government here held groundbreaking rites on Friday to signal the construction of more than one thousand housing units funded by Pag-IBIG Fund in Barangays Tabing-ilog and San Juan.
Samal Mayor Alex Acuzar, members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Samal led by Vice Mayor Ronnie Ortiguerra, Bataan Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia 3rd, provincial Board member Tony Roman and Partylist Pusong Pinoy Rep. Jett Nisay attended the ceremonies at Sta. Catalina II in Tabing-ilog and Green Heights Subdivision in San Juan.
Also, representatives of Pag_IBIG Fund and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the provincial housing agency joined the groundbreaking and signing of the memorandum of understanding.
Acuzar said the beneficiaries in the Tabing-ilog housing project are 201 families and 850 families in San Juan.
Housing units in quadruplex of 35 square meters in a floor area of 40 square meters with two bedrooms and a bathroom with laundry will rise in Tabing-ilog. A sample house was on display. In San Juan, housing units, also in quadruplex in the 7-hectare area, await the occupants.
About a hectare of land in the Tabing-ilog project was donated by Hightech Global, an investor at the Samal ecozone while around 5,000 square meters were purchased by the Samal LGU.
Beneficiaries in Tabing-ilog have to pay Pag-IBIG P1,900 monthly plus contribution of P200 or P2,100 a month payable in 25 years. In San Juan, the amortization is around P3,000 monthly.
“Ang kinabibilangan ng beneficiaries sa Tabing-ilog unang-una ang priority natin siyempre ang mga Informal Settler Family (ISF) at lahat ng lilipat dito sa lugar na ito purely ISF na nakatira doon sa tabi ng ilog,” Acuzar said.
“Sa may San Juan mix doon kasi may developer iyon. Ngayon itong susunod na project ng munisipyo, kapag munisipyo ang gumagawa, ang priority ay ISF. Kung may sumobra siyempre io-open natin sa lahat ng kababayan natin pero sa taga-Samal muna siyempre,” the mayor added.
“Actually, may kasunod na project na kasi ang pamahalaang bayan natin. Nakabili na ng another property sa may San Juan na 4 hectares at tinatarget namin doon at least 600 houses ang maitatayo,” Acuzar said.
Tabing-ilog Punong Barangay Glenn Velasco said the housing project in his village was initiated by Mayor Acuzar in coordination with the provincial government and Pag-IBIG Fund.
“Ang number one beneficiaries nito ay ang mga Informal Settlers ng barangay Tabing-Ilog at may bahagi din ang Informal settlers ng katabing barangay East Daan Bago. Para maka-avail siyempre dapat ISF ka dito sa Tabing Ilog saka sa East Daan Bago,” Velasco said.
“Napakaganda ng proyektong ito ni Mayor Acuzar dahil ito ay matagal nang pinangarap ng barangay Tabing-Ilog at lahat ng namuno sa barangay ay isa ito sa pangarap dahil nga upang makasunod kami sa mandamus order ng Supreme Court,” the village head continued.
“Ang utos ng Supreme Court ay linisin ang mga daluyan ng tubig papuntang Manila Bay so kung maaalis ang mga ISF na nakatira sa daluyan ng tubig dito sa Mabical River at San Juan River, napakalaking tulong na malinis, maging malinis ang dumadaloy na tubig papuntang Manila Bay,” Velasco concluded. 30)
