Pinatubo settlers get land titles

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Vice President Jejomar Binay turned over Wednesday some 752 land titles to residents who were dislocated during the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption and subsequent lahar flows.

Binay was with Governor Lilia Pineda during the distribution for residents of Camachile, Mauaque and Madapdap resettlements in Mabalacat City (171), Sta. Lucia Resettlement in Magalang town (165), Bulaon Resettlement in the City of San Fernando (234) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) Housing in Mexico town (182).

Vice Governor Dennis Pineda, mayors Marino Morales of Mabalacat City, Edwin Santiago of the City of San Fernando and Roy Manalastas of Mexico town joined Binay in the distribution at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center.

It added that the Aquino government had given at least 1,000 land titles to the eruption victims in 2013. Some of the beneficiaries have waited 15 years before their titles were formally released.

Meanwhile, NHA General Manager Chito Cruz said the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDDC) will turn over more land titles in Pampanga. He disclosed that the HUDDC will work for the land titles of some 9,500 land titles.

Over 37,000 housing units were made following the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo more than 30 years ago. Most of the resettlement centers are in Pampanga and Tarlac.

Binay is the chairman of the HUDDC and under which are six government agencies, including the NHA and Pag-Ibig fund.

Binay also joined Governor Pineda during the briefing of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau on the current condition of the slopes of Mt. Arayat after a landslide incident in the Magalang area claimed one life during the onslaught of Typhoon "Santi."