A total of 1,000 permanent housing units have been turned over to family-beneficiaries in Pandan, Antique as part of the housing commitment of Task Force Yolanda, task force head and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Wednesday, Oct. 13.
The 55th virtual turnover of housing units was held Tuesday, Oct. 12 for the Sta. Cruz Site 1 (500 units) and Guia Homes (500 units) locations under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Project of National Housing Authority (NHA) Region 6.
This adds to the initial 1,000 houses provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Unified Implementation and Monitoring of Rehabilitation and Recovery Projects and Programs in Yolanda-affected Areas last Feb. 26.
Nograles thanked the partner agencies and the local government units (LGUs) for their indispensable support and coordination in building a total of 46,348 housing units in Western Visayas, all of which had been turned over to local government beneficiaries.
The following localities have completed housing units: Ajuy, Iloilo, with 4,215 housing units; Carles, Iloilo (13,665); Culasi, Antique (1,974); Altavas, Aklan (393); Panit-an, Capiz (572); Estancia, Iloilo (3,562); Ivisan, Capiz (672); Concepcion, Iloilo (2,803); Jamindan, Capiz (535); Dumangas, Iloilo (1,993); Pilar, Capiz (1,354); Pontevedra, Capiz (1,168); Pandan, Antique (2,000); Panay, Capiz (1,543); Barotac Viejo, Iloilo (822); Roxas City, Capiz (1,533); Anilao, Iloilo (364); Banate, Iloilo (1,631); Bugasong, Antique (2,603); Kalibo, Aklan (400); Escalante City, Negros Occidental (1,279) and Pandan, Antique (1,000).
Nograles expressed appreciation to the selfless efforts of Mayor Plaridel Sanchez VI, Vice Mayor Raymund Nonato Gumbo and other municipal officers.
He lilkewise heaped praise on the NHA under the leadership of General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Regional Manager Engr. Rizalino Cabahug, District Manager Architect Jesus Fantilaga, and the rest of the agency officials and staff who ensured the projects were completed on time despite the challenges of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Cabinet Secretary, who also heads Task Force Zero Hunger, said the country will be commemorating the National Week for Overcoming Extreme Poverty, to be followed by Barrio Farmer’s Week. Both highlight the need to address pressing problems of poverty and hunger, he said.
"We must ensure that we attain food security and address the nutrition needs of families, especially our children. Through partnerships with the private sector, with orgs like Pilipinas Kontra Gutom, we are able to do that and implement livelihood and community garden initiatives at Yolanda Housing sites," said the former Davao congressman.
Mayor Sanchez, on behalf of the LGU, thanked President Duterte, Nograles, and the NHA for "delivering on their promise to provide closure to our Yolanda victims. We're grateful for this assistance and we look forward to more collaboration with agencies such as the NHA."
Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) was a super typhoon that struck the country’s central islands in November 2013. It killed at least 6,000 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis due to the sheer destruction it caused.