TACLOBAN CITY- Mayor Alfred Romualdez of this city expressed an appeal to the national government to speed up the construction of the permanent shelters for families whose houses were totally destroyed due to the onslaught of super typhoon “Yolanda.”
Romualdez, however, clarified that while the pace of the construction works of these permanent houses, initiated by the National Housing Authority(NHA), is rather slow, he is not expressing his frustrations.
The NHA was committed to construct 14,000 units intended for families whose houses were destroyed due to Yolanda. The national government has set aside more than P2 billion.
At present, there were only over 2,000 units so far that have been constructed in 14 sites in northern parts of Tacloban.
But of the 2,000 units, only 17 have been occupied by families who came from Barangay 88, San Jose district.
These families, who transferred last December, lives at Ridge View in Barangay Cabalawan.“It’s rather slow and I don’t think they can make the target. I think, they should update the President on the progress of the works,” Romualdez said.
“(And) it’s not a question of being frustrated because there are problems that cannot be solved. It only become frustrating if the problems could not be given proper solution,” the city mayor said.
With the pace of their work, the NHA could probably deliver 3,000 to 4,000 units by the year end, Romualdez added.
The mayor also said that the quality of the construction of these NHA- made houses should also be given attention.
These houses, he said, should be of “standard quality” and equipped with basic necessities like power and water.
“We should make a distinction here between ready for occupancy and completely finished,” he said.
The NHA, though its head, Marilyn Lauzon, said that they are determined to deliver their commitment.
She, however, admitted that there are factors that are beyond their control reason why the construction of these permanent houses faces some delays.
