P2.5M pay for tax of housing lot for Sendong victims ok'd

CEBU, Philippines - The National Housing Authority, through general manager Chito Cruz, has approved an additional amount of P2.5 million for the payment of estate tax in the purchase of a lot at Barangay Banilad in Dumaguete City to be used as housing site for victims of typhoon Sendong.

Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria confirmed this matter, saying that the payment of the tax caused some delays in the housing project.

Early last year, the NHA made an advance of P6 million to the Tale family, which owns the lot, leaving a balance of P15 million. The construction of the houses, however, could not proceed pending the payment of the estate tax.

Sagarbarria said the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 7 confirmed its counterpart fund of P25 million for the project is now ready for funding the construction of an initial 371 houses.

The project is covered by a 70-40 sharing scheme, in which P40,000 per unit will come from the NHA and P70,000 from the DSWD. A total of 1,000 housing units was promised by the NHA, Sagarbarria added. (FREEMAN)