Priority of NHA for aid LGUs with ready relocation sites

CEBU, Philippines -  The National Housing Authority will prioritize local government units with ready relocation sites for super typhoon Yolanda victims to get the financial assistance, on first-come-first-served basis.

NHA-7 Director Gavino Figuracion yesterday announced that of the proposed P15 billion, only P2.2 billion is set for release by the Department of Budget and Management for the entire area in the Visayas affected by the super typhoon.

"Since this is an amount which is lower than the P15 billion, it will be a first-come-first-served basis for the LGU," said Figuracion at the 888 News Forum at Marco Polo Plaza.

 The proposed budget is intended for the 60,000 permanent housing units within the 50-kilometer radius affected by the typhoon with 171 municipalities in Samar, Tacloban City, Iloilo, Bacolod, Palawan and northern Cebu.

Figuracion said there are 8,548 housing units for northern Cebu to be implemented from 2014 to 2016.

He said they are now coordinating with LGUs who already have properties so that they can plan this out for the relocation site for the Yolanda victims.

Figuracion said they have already finished the preparation of documents in Bogo City with 6.6 hectares, San Remigio with 2.7 hectares and Tabuelan with three hectares.

Medellin is also in the process of land acquisition for two hectares while Daanbantayan also has a half  hectare which the NHA is set to develop.

Areas covered in northern Cebu are Bogo City, and the towns of Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabuelan, Tabogon, Tuburan; Santa Fe, Bantayan and Madridejos in Bantayan Island; and San Francisco, Poro, Tudela and Pilar in Camotes Group of Islands.

The NHA was directed by the national government to do the permanent housing for those affected families on the no-build zone areas.

The NHA has come up with a policy to do land development and the housing construction while the LGU provides the land as equity.

Figuracion further said the national government has yet to decide on how to recover the amount taken from its calamity fund.

 "Since this is calamity fund, it was not yet decided by the national government whether we will recover this in full or it will be a subsidy to the LGU or it will be the LGU who will recover this and put it in trust fund account to be used as their seed money," he said.  (FREEMAN)