Monday, May 21, 2018
BY CARLA P. GOMEZ

President Rodrigo Duterte led the groundbreaking of a P1 billion housing project for the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police personnel in Negros Occidental at Barangay Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, yesterday afternoon.

MERGE President Rodrigo Duterte (7th from left, second row) with (l-r) Sipalay City Mayor Oscar Montilla, Himamaylan City Mayor Ernesto Bascon, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, Talisay City Mayor Neil Lizares, Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña, HUDCC chair Eduardo del Rosario, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, NHA general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Rep. Alfredo Benitez, AFP chief of staff Carlito Galvez, Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco, Silay City Mayor Mark Golez and Valladolid Mayor Enrique Miravalles and (1st row, l-r) Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco, San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara, Pontevedra Mayor Jose Benito Alonso, Manapla Mayor Lourdes Escalante, Calatrava Mayor Araceli Somoso, Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in Dos Hermanas, Talisay City, yesterday* (Andy Alvarez photo)

The president said the 15-hectare Vista Alegre Homes in Dos Hermanas will be home to 1,000 families of soldiers and police officers by 2020 when the 1,000 duplex-type housing units will be completed.

Vista Alegre Homes is the fifth housing project of the National Housing Authority under the new AFP/PNP Housing Project program, he said.

The government is committed to address the housing needs of those who risk their lives to serve the country with utmost courage and integrity, he said, adding that more similar communities will be built.

“Having a house that one can call his own is more than just an achievement that uplifts the person’s pride and morale. It is also an assurance of a stable life and a promising future, especially for those whose children are left behind early,” Duterte said.

Duterte assured the AFP and PNP personnel that his administration will remain resolute in promoting their welfare.

“We will continue to pursue our modernization program to further enhance your capabilities, enable you to fulfill your sworn duty to protect our people and defend our democratic institution,” he said.

In return, he asked those in uniform to do their best to continue the fight against corruption and in creating a safer and more secure nation for all Filipinos.

Duterte said housing will also be provided to rebels who surrender, but their houses will be smaller than those of the PNP and AFP.

NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. said their target for 2018 is about 9,500 housing units for the AFP and PNP.

The 1,000 houses in Dos Hermanas are targeted for completion and turnover by December of 2018 or March of 2019, he said, adding that they will be very affordable.

Of the 1,000 houses 45 percent will go to the PNP, 45 percent for the AFP and 10 percent to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Corrections and the Bureau of Fire Protection in Negros Occidental, Escalada said.

The houses being build will have a 60-square meter floor area, 30 on the ground floor and 30 on the second floor, he said.

In the past, houses for uniformed personnel had a 22-square meter floor area over a 40-square meter lot area but on instructions of the president they have increased the lot size to 80 square meters and floor size to 60 square meters, Escalada said.

Each house will cost about P2 million in the private sector, but those of the NHA would be from P800,000 to P1 million, he said.

The president has further instructed that all beneficiaries will have a discount of P100,000, Escalada said.

“Under the Duterte administration we can assure that the design is of high quality,” he added.

“I will guarantee you that there will be no substandard housing projects,” Escalada added.

Negros Occidental officials present at the affair were Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District), board members and mayors.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. was unable to attend for health reasons.

The vice governor said the housing program is a promise of the president to the country’s AFP and PNP personnel and he is glad Negros Occidental is one of the beneficiaries.

Benitez said the housing program for the AFP and PNP is a step in the right direction, with an improvement on the design so they will be bigger.

Neil Lizares, mayor of the host city of the Vista Alegre Homes, thanked the NHA and president for choosing Talisay as the site for the housing project.*CPG