Tuesday, March 6, 2018

More resettlement sites for informal settler families are expected to be developed in the towns and cities of the Third District in Negros Occidental in the coming years, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) said in a press release from his office.

Housing Officers or focal persons of the cities of Victorias, Silay and Talisay and the municipalities of EB Magalona and Murcia, recently met with the National Housing Authority, convened by the of Benitez through District Coordinator on Housing Concerns, Marie June Pavillar-Castro.

Engineers Alejandro Ongsuco and Liezl Miquit of the NHA-Bacolod Project Office, the LGU representatives about theResettlement Assistance Program and the District Housing Program of the agency, among others, the press release said.

Ongsuco, officer-in-charge of NHA Bacolod, said the RAP-LGU provides a maximum of P12 million granted to LGUswith additional P12 million interest-free loans for cities.

Miquit, acting principal engineer of NHA Bacolod, added that LGUs can avail of the RAP up to three times.

“If the LGU resettlement area is big, succeeding RAPs can be used to develop the same community but different phasesof the site or subdivision”, Miquit said.

RAP can fund surveys, detailed engineering and architectural plans, concreting of roads, and construction of drainage and septic tanks or vaults, the press release said.

Provision of electricity and water services or connection to the resettlement sites are the LGU counterpart or equity, it added.

During the March 1 meeting at NHA Bacolod Office, Victorias City, through Housing Officer Primilo Solinap, proposed to complete their staff work and required documents to avail of the RAP in three phases to develop the 10 hectare property which Canetown Development Corp., a subsidiary of Victorias Milling Company, granted the City perpetual right to use (and will eventually donate), for social housing, the press release said.

Victorias City is proposing three phases of theP24 million RAP for 2019, 2020 and 2021 or a total of P72 million.

Talisay City is proposing P24 million each for 2020 and 2021, while E.B. Magalona and Murcia will each propose for the P12 milliongrant for 2020 and 2021, the press release said.

Aside from the RAP, Ongsuco also informed the LGU stakeholders that there is also a District Housing Program where a P4.5 millionfund from the congressman can be used for cost-recoverable land acquisition, land development or housing construction.

Among the LGUs in the District, Murcia town has signified its interest to propose under the District Housing Program as they need resettlement sites near the town proper and for some residents of Brgy. Minoyan, since a big portion of barangay is a military reservation area, the press release said.

The NHA requires that the project proposal and the list of beneficiaries under the District Housing Program are endorsed by the legislator.

Stakeholders who attended the March meeting with NHA, were Marvelyn Serrano of E.B. Magalona Planning and Development Office, and Randy Gamboa and Annie Olimpo of Murcia’s Assessor’s Office.

Talisay City was represented by Marmelo Sausi of the City Planning and Development Office and Executive Assistants Farah Jayme and lawyer Boyet Maghari, while Alore Golez of Silay City Housing Authority Office attended with Darel Panilo and Mary Ann Deita.

Silay City has already availed of the RAP for the development of the Bon Bon Resettlement Site Phase 3, located in Brgy. E Lopez, the press release said.*