Funding for ‘Yolanda’ housing delayed–NHA

THE NATIONAL Housing Authority (NHA) admitted that the government has allocated less than half of the P61.262 billion earmarked for the housing units for victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” nearly two years after the strongest typhoon ever to hit land devastated Eastern Visayas and neighboring provinces.

In a presentation to the House special committee on climate change, the NHA reported that only P26.996 billion had been released as of September out of the P61.262 billion total requirement to build 205,128 houses for Yolanda’s victims.

The NHA said the P34.256 billion funding shortfall (equivalent to 112,774 houses) would come from the P3-trillion national budget for 2016.

NHA officials said the 205,128 houses for Yolanda victims would be completed by 2017 but House committee chair and Ako Bikol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe doubted this could be done.

Only 75-percent complete

Batocabe said the NHA’s performance in the last two years showed it would not be able to meet even a quarter of the 205,128 houses targeted for Yolanda victims.

As of September, the NHA had completed only 16,544 housing units in Tanauan and Tacloban, Leyte, of which 4,606 units were only 75-percent complete.

Aside from funding delays, Batocabe said the housing projects were hobbled by difficulties in purchasing land on which to build the houses.

During the hearing, a nongovernment organization blamed President Aquino’s conflicting directives for the slowdown in the reconstruction process and delivery services.

Confusing directives

Dennis Calvan, executive director of NGOs for Fishermen, said the three confusing directives were: the President’s order on the 40-meter no-build zone, downgraded to a no-dwelling zone in February 2014;

the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery recommendation to identify safety zones, unsafe zones, and no dwelling zones in March 2014; and a joint memorandum circular from government agencies for the adoption of hazard zones classification in Yolanda-affected areas.

Calvan proposed that the NHA consider other alternatives to resettlement or relocation such as on-site development.