Gov. Pineda listens to NHA’s Romuel Alimbuyao as he explains the housing program in the meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday.
With them are Mayors Eddie Guerrero of Floridablanca and Katoy Naguit of Minalin and Roy Imperial, consulant-adviser of the governor.
Photo by Ric Gonzales
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Key shelter agencies (KSAs) of the Aquino administration have vowed to work closely with Gov. Lilia Pineda for an effective and sustained housing program in Pampanga, including the construction of evacuation centers and low-cost houses.
Pineda led the whole-day meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday with KSAs led by Undersecretary Cecilia Alba of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to begin the huge task of constructing temporary and permanent shelters for perennial flood victims in the towns of Masantol, Macebebe, San Luis, Apalit, Candaba, Sto. Tomas, Minalin, San Simon, Arayat, Lubao, Guagua and other low-lying areas.
Alba and the National Housing Authority (NHA) are set to transfer a 10-hectare property in San Isidro, Magalang owned by the NHA to the provincial government for its planned evacuation center.
NHA North and Central Luzon Area Management Office chief Engr. Romuel Alimbuyao said Pineda’s letter-request for the transfer of the Magalang property “is now in the NHA board.”
Pineda said the area in Magalang “is flood-free and ideal to house at least 2,000 families.” She added that the planned evacuation center will ensure the safety and health care of the evacuees.
At the height of torrential rains last August 7, some 170,758 families or 750,284 individuals were affected, said acting Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office head Elizabeth Baybayan.
In the same meeting, Pineda also asked the KSAs to help the provincial government in identifying poor residents deserving of permanent housing units.
Baybayan said they had started last March the identification of indigent beneficiaries and the full blast implementation of the province’s housing program will be next year.
Pineda ordered the creation of a Local Housing Office and Board to fast track the Provincial Housing Program specifically the socialized housing projects for the province.
It was Alba that proposed to Pineda the creation of local board offices to effectively implement socialized housing program.
Pineda also asked the Pampanga mayors to create their respective local housing boards and offices to ensure the quick implementation of projects related to housing programs.
“There were cases when subdivision projects were not realized and they caused problems to both government agencies and beneficiaries. That is why we need local boards and offices to safeguard and ensure the completion of the projects,” said Pineda in the dialect.
The first-term governor said there were cases when the NHA failed to complete housing projects due “to problems beyond their control.” She added that coordination “is needed between local government units, the HUDCC and other KSAs.
“We have to understand the NHA because they have to work on certain budgets and limitations” Pineda said.
Pineda cited the 170 housing units for victims of landslides at San Juan Bano, Arayat in 2009. She said the project was supposed to be completed at least early last year but the beneficiaries have to yet to construct their respective houses.
Pineda said she had been informed by some of the Arayat beneficiaries that they could not construct their house because they have to work for their daily expenses and some of them are sickly.
She added that the beneficiaries will provide for the labor and cost for the units. The materials were supplied by the Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The provincial government assisted the NHA for the cost of labor to hasten the construction of the houses for the Arayat victims.
“The province and LGUs should be a part of the housing program for its quick implementation. We should be partners of the KSAs. We need local boards as well to handle the coordination with the KSAs,” she added.
Pineda identified the housing projects being implemented with the assistance of the NHA and HUDCC, including the P13-million project in Arayat.
Pineda expressed gratitude to the NHA for the initial release of P7 million representing 50 percent of the actual cost for 350 housing units for Aetas in Floriblanca. She added that the housing agency is set to release P7 million more for the completion of the project in Floridablanca.
Pineda thanked Vice President and HUDCC Chairman Jejomar Binay for ordering KSAs to assist the province in the implementation of the “effective and sustained” housing projects.
Pineda urged the HUDCC and other agencies attached to it to sell foreclosed housing projects to the province at “low prices.” This, she added, will allow them to grant “very affordable houses, especially to poor folk.”
The other KSAs who supported Pineda’s project are the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Home Development Mutual Fund, Social Housing Finance Corporation, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation and the National Housing Authority.
Alba said they will report to Binay that the meeting and briefing in Pampanga was successful.
