1000 CEBU FAMILIES RECEIVE FREE GOV'T HOUSING – NOGRALES
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, together with National Housing Authority (NHA) and LGU officials, led the turnover of Yolanda housing units in Santa Fe, Cebu on April 20, 2021 as part of the Duterte administration's commitment to complete and distribute all promised housing units to beneficiaries in affected areas.
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| Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles (Contributed file photo) |
The
virtual turnover of 1,000 houses was for the Sto. NiΓ±o Home, Barangay
Maricaban, Santa Fe, Cebu location under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Project
in Central Visayas.
Since
assuming the chairmanship of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Unified
Implementation and Monitoring of Rehabilitation and Recovery Projects and
Programs in Yolanda-affected Areas, Nograles has turned over 4,164 units to
different cities and municipalities in Cebu province.
Housing
recipients include the following areas: Tabuelan (220 units), Daanbantayan
(1,863 units), Bantayan (450 units) and Medellin (631 units), plus the latest
one in Santa Fe (1,000 units).
Nograles
praised the NHA leadership and local government officials for their dedication
in ensuring the project's timely completion and turn over despite the various
logistical and scheduling challenges brought by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
"We
give special thanks to NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Regional
Manager Engr. Jude Juntilo, Engr. Jeef Arranguez, Engr. Mary Ann Quimado and
other officials and staff of NHA Region 7 whose dedication made this turnover
possible," the Cab Sec remarked.
The
MalacaΓ±ang official likewise made mention of the crucial support from
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael DiΓ±o, Governor
Gwendolyn Garcia, Mayor Ithamar Espinosa, Vice Mayor Naomi Espinosa, members of
the Sangguniang Bayan and employees of the Santa Fe LGU.
Nograles,
who chairs the administration's Task Force Zero Hunger, noted that
"through our partnership with Pilpinas Kontra Gutom which is composed of
various private corporations, we will create community gardens from idle lands
so that the people of Santa Fe can grow nutritious food for consumption and
commerce.“
This
effort, the Cab Sec stated, was in line with his advocacy to combat hunger and
poverty, especially in Yolanda-affected areas, further stressing that
"kailangan natin magtulungan, we need to cooperate and coordinate with
stakeholders in this important battle against hunger and malnutrition, particularly
among our children."
Mayor
Espinosa, for his part, spoke on behalf of the LGU and thanked the President,
Nograles and the NHA for "inspiring us and giving assurance that the
government will address our needs here in Santa Fe. We are forever grateful for
this gift of housing. We will do everything we can to deserve this generous
benefit.”
