NHA to download funds for housing project

THE National Housing Authority (NHA) will have to download funds to the City Government here due to technical problems in the releasing of funds for the city’s housing project for informal settlers and relocatees.

This was reported by NHA regional director Isagani Jalbuena to Iloilo City mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Senator Franklin M. Drilon during the monthly meeting of the Iloilo River Development Council held last September 21 at the roofdeck of the new City Hall building here.

An initial amount of P123 million will be downloaded to the city after finding out that it was extremely difficult to turn it over the NHA because of late approval by the NHA Board.

The project site is at the city owned lot in Brgy. Sooc, Arevalo for an initial 300 housing units that will also include rehabilitation of the Sooc road going to the GK Village near the proposed NHA housing site.

Mabilog informed the river council that he has already executed a deed of donation with authority from the City Council for an initial 138 housing units.

On the other hand, NHA is also experiencing the delayed releases of funds for the 1,000 raw housing units in Lanit, Jaro district. Jalbuena said he is proposing the transfer of funds to the city government for the land development of the Lanit site.

The Lanit project will cost some P170 million with a winning bid of P169 million. Drilon had asked a reduction of P10 million which the contractor bargained to donate 138 housing units for free.

The NHA project costs about P244 million in two sites for land development and housing units for relocates and informal settlers who will be displaced soon along the river banks and tributaries.

Another housing project amounting some P100 million for 1,000 city informal settlers will be implemented soon by the Department of Social Services and Development under its core shelter program.