Houses for cops, soldiers ready

Four months after President Aquino gave his promise, the first batch of mass housing units for soldiers and policemen would finally be turned over on Friday.

The President himself will award the new houses to nearly 200 military and police personnel during formal turnover rites in Calamba, Laguna.

The beneficiaries of the housing units in the provinces of Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan and other parts of Laguna which will also be turned over on Friday will also attend the ceremony to formally receive their housing units.

Defense Undersecretary Eduardo Batac said 97 of the initial batch of beneficiaries are members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

President’s promise

“This is basically a fulfillment of the promises made by the President on the morale and welfare aspect of our personnel. The promises of the President are being fulfilled,” Batac said.

Aquino announced the mass housing program for security personnel during the 25th anniversary of the Edsa People Power Revolution last February.

He said at least 20,000 housing units would be ready for occupancy in the next six to eight months.

He said his administration’s target was to provide a total of 140,000 housing units before the end of his term in 2016.

Batac said the President issued Administrative Order No. 9 in April allotting P4.2 billion for the construction by the National Housing Authority of 20,000 low-cost housing units for military and police personnel.

Two options

The housing project offers soldiers at least two options to own a row house through monthly amortization for a maximum period of 30 years at an interest rate of six percent per annum.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said one option offers a row house with a 22-square-meter floor area that sits on a 36-square-meter lot. Its net cost is P140,000 (or P175,000 less subsidy of P35,000).

The monthly amortization costs P200 for the first five years and gradually increases to P1,307 for the last five years of payment.

The other option offers an expandable row house with an 18-square-meter floor area but with a loft which sits on a slightly bigger 40-square-meter lot.

This option costs P173,000 net (or P208,000 less subsidy of P35,000). It requires a cash equity of P33,000. The monthly amortization costs P400 for the first five years, gradually increasing to P1,419 on the 26th to 30th year.

A soldier with the rank of private receives P400 in monthly quarters or housing allowance.

The AFP and the Philippine National Police will formulate the selection criteria for applicants. But pre-qualified applicants who pass the AFP and PNP criteria still have to be approved by the NHA.