399 Typhoon Yolanda survivors avail of permanent shelters in Kalibo

AKLAN, Philippines – Only 25% of permanent shelters in Kalibo, Aklan will be initially occupied by Typhoon Yolanda survivors, the National Housing Authority (NHA) said.

NHA will build 1,589 houses in resettlement sites for the Yolanda survivors whose houses were partially or totally damaged in danger zones. Of the 1,589 units, 399 units in Barangay Briones were raffled off to qualified beneficiaries by the NHA.

NHA data also showed 738 housing units will be constructed in a 5-hectares relocation site in Barangay Nalook. (READ: 5 years after Yolanda, 23% of houses for survivors occupied)

Under the NHA Permanent Resettlement Program for Calamity Victims, beneficiaries will be provided with developed lots and decent shelters at no cost.

Around 4,000 affected families severely hit by Typhoon Yolanda on November 8, 2013 were included in the master list submitted by the local government of Kalibo and barangays for validation.

Since 2017, NHA conducted validation in affected barangays to determine the actual housing recipients. Around 1,812 family-beneficiaries were validated by the multi-stakeholder body Local Inter-Agency Committee (LIAC). It will be trimmed down to 1,589.

Last month, NHA and LGU Kalibo held a raffle draw for 668 families initially screened for available 399 units in a 5.7-hectare permanent resettlement site in Barangay Briones.

Recipients will be allowed to occupy the Briones housing village if the water and power facilities are available. Occupancy permits will be issued and awarded also to beneficiaries.

“Libre na ang lupa at bahay dahil sa bagong Memorandum Circular ng NHA at sa tulong ni President Rodrigo Duterte. Ang mga pamilya na ang mag-tap ng kanilang tubig at koryente para sa kanilang bahay. May may community facilities din tayong ilalagay sa sites,” NHA regional spokesperson Josephine Bayoneta said.

(The house and lot is free due to the new Memorandum Circular of the NHA and the help of President Rodrigo Duterte. The families will have to tap their water and electricity for their home. There will be community facilities palced on the sites.) 

NHA will turn over the management of relocation sites and the transfer of lot ownership for individual recipients to LGU Kalibo, but, the NHA regional office will also monitor occupancy of housing units.

As this developed, Briones barangay captain Rafael Briones questioned why 15 indigent families in his barangay were not included as recipients of 399 housing units.

“Sila dapat ang automatic na recipients bilang disturbance fee nila, sila ang nagbubungkal ng lupa dito bago na-convert ang lupa,” he stressed.

(They should automatically be recipients as part of their disturbance fee, as they dug up the ground here before it could be converted.) – Rappler.com