PORAC, Pampanga – Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda awarded on Thursday certificates
of housing occupancy to 77 out of 96 Aeta families who had been displaced by a
6.1- magnitude earthquake that rocked Luzon on April 22, 2019.
Vice Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Porac Mayor Jing Capil, together with officials
from the National Housing Authority and Department of Social Welfare and
Development, joined the governor in turning over the keys to the new houses
built on a 2.8-hectare land purchased by the provincial government in Barangay
Babo Pangulo for Aetas from Barangay Diaz.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of
the Department of Science and Technology had declared Diaz to be “not fit for
human habitation” due to large cracks following the temblor which epicenter was
east of Castillejos, Zambales.
For their safety, then-Gov. Lilia Pineda temporarily transferred the Aetas to a lot
owned by the family of 2 nd District board member Fritzie David-Dizon in Babo
Pangulo.
The 37 units were built by the provincial government through funds of the
provincial disaster risk reduction and management office, according to its head
Angelina Blanco.
She said the 40 other units were funded on a P20-million grant from the National
Housing Authority.
Each unit, measuring 30 square meters, was built on a budget of P500,000, Blanco
said. It has a bedroom, lavatory, kitchen, and living room.
Additional units will be built through a donation from a private foundation tapped
by Vice Gov. Pineda.
In the presence of NHA officials, Governor Pineda remarked that the units are
truly ideal homes.
He said the provincial government also funded the construction of a water system
and daycare center at the relocation site.
