Yolanda'survivors:
Charge two more
'Yolanda'surv ivors: Ch arge two more
Grassroots members ofthe CYSP alleged that NHA reeional
officials are equally responsible for ttrl faited housing"projects
From page I NHA regonal manager Rizalde Mediavillo
(PACC) complaint before the Office of
the 0mbudsman.
The plea was.in relation to the
anomalous implementation of the
Yolanda Permanent Housing Program.
Grassroots members of the Coalition
of Yolanda Survivors and Partners.
(CYSP) aueged that NHA regional
officials are equally responsible for the
failed housing projects as they monitored
the faulty construction of houses meant
for the t}'phoon victims,
Officers and members of Uswag
Este, an alliance of community-ba.sed
associations of 'yplanda' housing
beneficiaries in Easdern Samar tagged
luANlLA, PHI.IPP|NE5 I TUESDAY I5OCTOBER20I9
_l
and regional €state management
specialist Dorcas Secreto for inclusion
in the case.
They vow€d to file their complaint
before the PACC. Twelve NHA officials
are to be investiga.ied by the Ombudsman.
'It should not only be those people in
the national ofhce of NHA who should
be liable for the 'Yolanda' housing mess,
but equally liable are those in the local
offic€. They are the ones who monitor
the implementation on the ground,' Lita
Bagunas, Uswag Dste uesident, said.
The group is also asking president
Rodrigo Duterte to look inio the
construction being handled by the new
contTactors. especially in the Balangiga
r
town, / m nicipalities, including Balangiga, at a
"Wd are appealing to the president
to havd somebody look into the
implementation being done by the new
contractor of the housing project in the
Balangiga,' Imelda Tacalan, a leader
of housing beneliciaries in Balangiga,
aired.
Balangiga town was the center
of nu merous complaints in the
construction of permanent houses when
a congressional commil,tee investigation
Twelve I{IIA officiaJs are to be
investigated by the Ombudsman.
found substandard materials were used
for theh construction.
I
the first contractor was C. Tayag
Builders InC,-(JCTBI), which bagged a
contract to consiruct 2,569 units in four
t V?.sAf PAg€v
By Elnel Bccuerdo
TACLOBAN CITY - Surviwirs ol the
onsliught of firhoon uYolanda' on Sunday
asked to include at least two more officials
of the National Housing Authority (NHA)
regional offrce in Eastern Visayas in the
Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission
Tan b pago Ao
r
sign of a weak structure.
cost of P741.53 million. The houses *ere then recommended
for demolition.
After that, Phintecstar took orrerl
It should not only be those people the contract from JCTBI Instead ofl
in the national office of NHA who demolishing the structures, however, thel
should be liable for the (Yol,anda,
new contra.ctor only repainted the houses.
housing mess but equa yliable are uwe volunteer
to demolish those
tlrcse in the local office. houses if the contractor cannot do it.
We cannot risk the lives of our families
living in those houses,' she said.
According to PACC, the contractor
Uswag Este is calling on the House
completed only 36 houses or 1.41 percent and the Senale to disclose l,he results of
when the contracts were terminated on theix probes on the .Yolanda, housing
27 November 2017.
oto'alfitlr"
In 201?, former House Committee
ourruins retease the res,]ts ofl
on Housing and Urban Development
ihe investigations so t}at whaiwer findingsJ
chairman Rep. Albee Benitez found
can_ be rectified in the ongoing consrucdon
undersized steel bars and rebars were 0fthe new contrartors,' Bagunas said.
used to construct the 36 houses. ulhey
asked for our cooperation and we
Early b€neficiaries reported that
gave it to them.We deserve to lmow the
their houses swayed, claiming it was a results,' she said.