Soldiers get nice homes on Philippine Army’s initiative

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Army (PA) said it had used revenue from its golf course and clubhouse facilities to build 50 housing units worth a total of P70 million for its active officers and soldiers.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz on Monday formally turned over the five newly constructed 10-door apartments inside the Fort Bonifacio Army headquarters to 40 officers and 10 enlisted personnel who would occupy them along with their families.

Each apartment has two stories, three bedrooms and an attic and a total floor space of 150 square meters. Each unit cost P1.4 million.

Ortiz said the housing project was funded from Philippine Army trust receipts and other internally generated savings. Trust receipts represent earnings from the Army golf course, clubhouse and gymnasium.

“At this time, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is getting hit right and left over the issue of funds (misuse). So it’s important that we show that through fiscal prudence and management, the Army was able to put up housing projects without additional funding from the government,” Ortiz said in Filipino.

The contract was awarded in a public bidding to Philworks Construction and Supply in 2009. Construction was supervised by the Army’s combat engineers.

Ortiz said they expect to finish the construction of five more 10-door apartment buildings in October.

The Army aims to construct a total of 28 units of 10-door apartments in Army camps nationwide.

One of the recipients was Lt. Col. Leodevic Guinid, a 42-year old veteran of the Mindanao campaign. The father of six said his current home had only two rooms.

Under the Army’s terms, P700 a month would be deducted from their pay for their new homes.