70 soldiers receive new houses

TANJAY CITY, Philippines  -- The Philippine Army Housing Office awarded 70 units of houses to military personnel who were recipients of the "Kalinga sa Kawal" housing project at Camp Leon Kilat in this city of Negros Oriental recently.

Major Gen. Vicente Porto, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, was the guest of honor and speaker during the awarding ceremonies.

Major Sonny Gonzales, public information officer of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said the housing program was conceived when the Department of the National Defense entered into a memorandum of agreement with Gawad Kalinga on July 16, 2005. 

The Philippine Army and the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, Inc signed the implementing rules of the MOA on December 02, 2005 for the completion of the socialized, land, housing and community development projects based on the vision, mission and philosophy of the Gawad Kalinga Program, Gonzales said.

The objective of the "Kalinga sa Kawal" program was to provide a better quality of life, comfort, and security to the personnel of the Philippine Army and their families, by helping them build homes, educating them on the necessary livelihood training and skills, and organizing their families into model communities that embody the "kapitbahay" and "bayanihan" spirit.

The 51st Engineering Brigade, through its 542nd Engineering Battalion, started the construction of the housing units on March last year in coordination with the 302nd Infantry Brigade, Gonzales said.

The ceremony was attended by Angelo Tiongson, representing the governor, Colonel Mariano Veloria, commander of the 53rd Engineering Brigade, Marie Antoinette Dela Cruz, representative of the AFPSLAI and Colonel Isagani Yaco, chief of the Army Housing Office.

The 70 beneficiaries of the "Kalinga sa Kawal" housing project were composed of 10 officers and 60 enlisted personnel. (FREEMAN)