TURNOVER. Gov. Pineda exhorts housing beneficiaries to take care of the community and the immediate environment at the foot of Mt. Arayat.
Photo courtesy of Jun Jaso, PIO Pampanga
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda on Tuesday stressed the importance of the partnership between local government units (LGUs) and the Aquino administration for the “fast and effective” implementation of programs, including those needing immediate attention.
Pineda said the housing project in Arayat town for the victims of landslides in September 2009 had been “partly completed” as she turned over 57 units to them on Monday.
“Imagine, it has been three years since the landslide spawned by typhoon Ondoy occurred. But not even a single house was completed until this week,” said Pineda in a phone interview.
The first-term governor expressed gratitude to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) for giving at least P12 million each for the housing project in San Juan Bano, Arayat. It will have 170 houses for San Juan Bano residents, including the families of 12 people who died during the landslide.
Pineda expressed gratitude to President Aquino for the support the national agencies have been giving to the provincial government and its projects.
“We also want to thank Vice President Binay for his support through the NHA,” said Pineda. Vice President Jejomar Binay is head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
Pineda said she had allotted at least P10 million as the province’s counterpart funds for the completion of the housing project.
She added that they used P5 million of the funds for bunkhouses used temporarily by the affected families.
“It’s was not right to see the people living in tents and we have to make temporary bunkhouses for them until we complete the permanent ones. Their health was threatened then,” said Pineda in Capampangan dialect.
Pineda said the other half of the P10-million budget will be used for the construction of at least 113 more houses to complete the total of 170.
Pineda said her partnership with other government agencies such as the Department of Agriculture (DA) had worked “wonders” for the province, allowing the completion and implementation of projects.
“If you have counterpart funds, it’s easier for both LGU and government to complete and implement the projects,” said Pineda.
She also expressed gratitude to Arayat Mayor Chito Espino for assisting the victims and in the construction of the houses despite the town’s limited budget.
