In a telephone interview with Punto, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao said this was agreed Monday in a meeting of the National Housing Authority (NHA) with leaders of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, Anakpawis, and other concerned groups. The occupied units in Pandi were supposed to be for PNP and AFP beneficiaries.
“It was out of desperation that the urban poor groups occupied the units in Pandi which had remained idle for five years. The government itself has admitted housing backlog of at least five million,” Casilao said.
He said that during the meeting, the stakeholders agreed to come up with a memorandum of understanding covering all of about 43,000 housing units for members of the AFP and PNP nationwide giving them the option to either move into the units already allocated for them all over the country or wait for bigger ones still to be built.
“Those units in Pandi are hardly liveable. They are very tiny at 22 square meters only with hardly any space for yard. The Kadamay families nevertheless are willing to stay there because they have become desperate. They just want electric and water connection there,” he noted.
Casilao said there was also agreement during the meeting for the police and military beneficiaries to signify their options by May 30 on whether they would still want to occupy existing housing units or wait for bigger ones.
“The Duterte government intends to build for them housing units with 44 square meter floor area on lots measuring 80 square meters,” he noted.
He cited NHA figures indicating that the government has already built some 43,000 small housing units for AFP and PNP members all over the country.
“The AFP and PNP members will be given priority, but the units which they would not occupy would then be open for awarding to others, including some 12,500 families under Damayan,” he added.
Casilao also noted the admission of NHA that it has some 50,000 applicants outside of AFP and PNP for housing units. “Among these are the Kadamay members who would then be considered for the existing units,” he said.
