DSWD 6 receives SARO for P35M housing project
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region has reportedly received the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) for release of P35 million rehabilitation fund for Iloilo City.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said he will meet with DSWD regional director Teresita Rosales to discuss the government fund intended for the construction of houses at the San Isidro, Jaro relocation site. The funding came from the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
The HUDCC funding was made possible with the intervention of Vice President Noli de Castro who is also the HUDCC chair. The vice president was saddened with the fate of the families living in danger zones such as creeks, riverbanks and waterways. They lost their houses and other properties when Typhoon Frank devastated Iloilo last June.
The housing project would be implemented by the Habitat for Humanity. The national government and the Habitat for Humanity will sign a memorandum of agreement for the project implementation. Habitat for Humanity representative Tony Valencia is also in the city to discuss the details of the project.
Initially, Habitat for Humanity is targeting to construct 500 loftable houses with a floor area of 24 square meters. The houses will have a loftable design in order that the recipient families can elevate the house into two-storey house. Each house cost some P50,000.
The relocation site can accommodate 1,920 row houses. The Habitat for Humanity wants the houses to be built in concrete interlocking blocks. They are also requesting manpower from the beneficiaries and skilled workers to be hired by the city government.
The P200,000 financial aid from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) would be spent for the salaries of the workers. Earlier, the city government wanted to utilize the P200,000 as salaries of the workers hired during the clean up operations.
However, the expenditures does not conform with the supposed purpose of the funding. The city has to go through with the process. The fund could not be spent in other purposes and the clean up operations have already ended, said Treñas.
The Habitat for Humanity is also considering tapping the help of students who are taking NSTP subjects to help in the construction of loftable houses. The city government will coordinate with the different universities, said Treñas.