President Arroyo announced the appointment during the third Mindanao Food Congress held in Butuan City. She said Alonzo will help her administration implement community mortgage programs as a viable financing scheme for low-cost housing.
"She is a financial expert and she will be able to get the agency moving so that the community mortgage program can benefit the poor," Mrs. Arroyo said.
Alonzo used to head the Home Mutual Development Fund, more popularly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund. She resigned after Lenny de Jesus was named housing chief under the Estrada administration.
In the same program yesterday, the President awarded certificates under the Land Tenure Assistance Program to 98 family-beneficiaries in Butuan City and released P1.9 million for a land acquisition program benefiting 151 families on Surigao City. She was assisted by Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council chairman Michael Defensor.
The President also handed over titles of land acquisition from the Socialized Housing Fund to 799 families in Agusan del Norte and turned over checks worth P1.7 million for land acquisition, land development and construction of access roads to three resettlement projects in Butuan City and Agusan del Sur.
Mrs. Arroyo, along with Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernani Braganza, distributed checks worth P11.9 million, representing certificates of ownership, to farmers’ organizations in the various agrarian reform communities.
She was also assisted by Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman in distributing checks worth P2.4 million for the community welfare structure projects in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur. – Marichu Villanueva