Thursday, January 18, 2018

Habitat for Humanity Philippines Foundation Inc. and the Silay City government will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at 2 p.m. today, to start the construction of the multi-million disaster-resilient housing project at the Bon Bon Phase 3 Resettlement Site in Brgy. E Lopez., a press release said

Habitat's Vice President for Asia Pacific Rick Hathaway, Managing Director Michael Meaney, and Project Director Lily Fuentes will join Silay Mayor Mark Golez at the groundbreaking rites.

Ma. Victoria Abello, HHPFI project manager for Western Visayas, said they have also invited Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District), chair of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, to join the groundbreaking for the construction of the initial 100 cement-bamboo framed housing units or 50 duplexes, valued at about P45 million, the press release said.

Also invited to the ground-breaking rites are Vice Mayor Joedith Gallego and the Silay City Council, National Housing Authority Bacolod Area Manager, Engr. Alejandro Ongsuco, Silay City Water District General Manager Jose Luis Ledesma Jr., Central Negros Electric Cooperation Silay Field Office Manager Lilibeth Gabian, and Brgy. E Lopez Punong Barangay Debbie Jinon and Council.

Although the Nov. 13, 2017 Memorandum of Agreement between Habitat and the Silay City initially outlined the first 100 units this year, Habitat has expressed its commitment to construct a total of 546 housing units in Bon Bon Phase 3, including community facilities, within the next few years, the press release said.

Abello added that training of the workers for the cement-bamboo frame technology, and actual construction will start on January 22, while orientation and drawing of priority numbers for identified qualified beneficiaries will be held on January 28.

Under Habitat's program, beneficiaries are required to provide sweat equity, and attendance at seminars or meetings are counted as part of the sweat equity.

Silay City was chosen as the project site because it has an LGU owned property that is already developed and buildable.

Alore Golez, officer-in-charge of the Silay Housing Authority Office, said the Silay City Government availed of the LGU Resettlement Assistance Program of the NHA under which a city can have a maximum P12 million grant and P12 million loan to develop LGU owned property for resettlement sites, the press release added.*