DHSUD eyes up to 930 housing units in earthquake-hit Abra

(FILE) Several buildings in Bangued town were damaged after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Abra on July 27.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said on Wednesday it is planning to build up to 930 housing units in Abra in the wake of the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck it.

According to the department’s statement,  three resettlement sites are being planned in the municipalities of Tayum, Bucay, and Peñarrubia.

“Abra recorded 264 totally destroyed houses while 19,165 were partially damaged in the municipalities of Tayum, Bangued, Bucay, Pidigan, La Paz and San Quintin,” the DHSUD added in the same statement.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar has already engaged in preliminary talks with undisclosed private developers.

“We now need a proactive response through a more permanent solution to the damages this calamity has caused. Building shelters should now become a priority. We need help from our private partners for us [to] do that,” said Acuzar.

The magnitude 7 earthquake hit Abra and other parts of Luzon last July 27, with the estimated cause of infrastructure damage to be P1,593,861,827.11.

Acuzar, along with other DHSUD officials is scheduled to go to Abra on Thursday to oversee their department’s response.

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Over 500K affected by Abra earthquake; damage to infrastructure at P1.5B

/MUF