Aquino distributes 50 housing units to soldiers, cops

CALAMBA CITY, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III on Friday distributed 50 housing units to soldiers and policemen in Barangay Looc in this city and in Barangay Batia in Bocaue, Bulacan.

In his speech, the President said 4,000 housing units are already available for distribution among beneficiaries in the Armed Forces and in the Philippine National Police in Luzon.

Almost 22,000 housing units are targeted for completion for the military and police this year under Mr. Aquino’s Administrative Order No. 9.

During the ceremonial distribution, Mr. Aquino first gave away door keys and certificates of entitlement to lot allocation to 20 beneficiaries—ten beneficiaries each for military and for police officers—in Bulacan.

He then rode a helicopter to the Laguna site, where he distributed CELAs and keys to 30 beneficiaries–15 each from the Armed Forces and from the PNP.

The distribution of the housing units is in connection with Mr. Aquino’s Administrative Order No. 9 that instructs the National Housing Authority to put up housing units for 20,000 military and police personnel.

The AO also orders the NHA to give priority to fund the P4.2-billion housing program.

The delivery of the first 4,000 housing units gave the President the opportunity to defend his appointment of classmates and friends in the government.

NHA general manager Chito Cruz, who Mr. Aquino credited for the timely delivery, is a friend and classmate of the President’s.

“That’s why I appoint them … They really deliver,” President Aquino said.