KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte --  The National Housing Authority (NHA) has turned-over a P25 million housing assistance to the municipality of Kauswagan for the construction of housing units for returning residents of Lanao del Norte, in support of the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) program of the government. 

The project, launched  on November 24, is situated in Bagong Pag-asa Organic Village, in barangay Tacub with 6.395 hectares of land area, of which 25 quadruplex units will be constructed for the 100 BP2 beneficiary- families. 

Each housing unit will have an average floor area of 30 square meters and an average lot area of 80 square meters.

National Housing Authority General Manager and Executive Director Marcelino P. Escalada, Jr. said the P25 million funding is sufficient for 87 units, 13 units of which will be funded by the local government unit (LGU) to complete the first 100 units.

He also assured that the construction of the shelters is on track to be completed within 200 days. 

Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Emmanuel 'Manny' Pinol said that the land area was donated by GN Power Corporation Kauswagan. 

"What we are trying  to build here, with the help of all other agencies, is a microcosm of what we would like the Philippines to be, a well-organized people with one common objective and a target of reducing poverty and improving our productivity," Pinol said. 

"We will build here a community of about 200 families originally coming from urban centers living as informal settlers. They will come here, they will be provided with housing units, with one common livelihood activity," he added. 

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario emphasized the importance of improving the quality of life in the provinces to give sustainable opportunities to its people. 

"The objective of the government is to trigger economic activities in the provinces, doon magsimula para yung internal migration mapigil natin at ang metropolis ay hindi magkaroon ng decay because of too much population," said Del Rosario. 

Senator Christopher Lawrence 'Bong' Go who graced the activity said the program will bring hope to the beneficiaries aside from providing them with housing, jobs, and livelihood. It will also hasten the development in the provinces. 

"Thank you to the people of Lanao in Kauswagan for accepting the Balik Probinsiya Balik Pag-asa program," he said. 

"I am just a proponent of this but this is President Duterte's program to help the people in the province," added Go. 

Kauswagan Mayor Rommel Arnado expressed gratitude to the national government for choosing Kauswagan as one of the pilot areas for the BP2 program. 

He also thanked the national line agencies that will provide support and assistance to the implementation of the program in his municipality. 

"From a traumatic past to a very promising future, we welcome the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa program as a higher level of commitment for many of us here," Arnado said.

"We are thankful that Kauswagan was chosen to be the country's pilot area. I can assure you that we are all ready,” he added.