Rody unveils housing project for Army Scout Rangers

SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan , Philippines  —  President Duterte yesterday led the unveiling of a housing project for Army Scout Ranger troops here as he reiterated his commitment to provide the military the equipment it needs to fulfill its mandate. 

The Scout Ranger Ville housing project forms part of the Biyaya ng Pagbabago program of the National Housing Authority (NHA) for uniformed personnel.

The housing units will replace the houses intended for soldiers that were forcibly occupied by urban poor group Kadamay last April. 

“Kadamay seized the housing units so I told (Armed Forces chief) General (Eduardo) Año to just abandon the houses. After all, they are all Filipinos,” Duterte said. 

“I will just give you new, bigger houses. This is the result of that… Let’s just give it to them,” he added. 

The government will spend P200 million to fund the construction of 1,000 120-square meter housing units for members of the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment. 

Duterte also vowed to provide P70,000 to the beneficiaries of the housing unit, saying it is his way of giving back to the soldiers who risk their lives for the country.

NHA general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said the Biyaya ng Pagbabago program aims to build 10,910 housing units for soldiers, policemen, firemen, corrections and jail personnel. 

Ten sites have been identified in Davao City, Davao Oriental, Zamboanga, Bulacan, Iligan City, Bacolod City, Tarlac, La Union and Baguio City. 

“We want to bring our housing units closer to camp retirement places,” Escalada said. 

Duterte promised to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) upgrade program and to make sure that only brand new equipment would be provided to soldiers.

He said he would allow the military to lease their camps to raise funds for the upgrade program, education of soldiers’ children and pay increases. 

“You may lease them but you cannot sell. You will earn billions,” Duterte said. 

Duterte said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III had suggested that the military place the proceeds of the lease deals in a funding pool. The soldiers can also use the funding pool to increase their salaries, buy equipment and fund the education of their children.

Duterte also revealed Russia would be donating 5,000 Kalashnikov rifles and 20 military trucks to the AFP.

“We went there (Russia) almost just below 24 hours. We will have the Kalashnikov… 5,000,” Duterte said.

Duterte was supposed to visit Russia for five days but had to cut it short because of the Marawi siege. 

Security officials told Duterte that the donation was supposed to be a secret but the President made the announcement here nevertheless. 

“Expect the arms to come in… It’s useless keeping it a secret. Anyway, a lot of people they’ll know if they dock the ships there. They will ask what is being discharged,” he said. – With Jaime Laude, Ramon Efren Lazaro