Rising cost of materials affects housing project
With the increasing cost of housing materials, the number of Gawad Kalinga (GK) houses to be funded under the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr. decreased from 100 to 60 housing units.
Gonzalez said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only released the P5 million for the construction of 60 housing units. The P5 million allocation was approved during the 13th Congress.
The rising cost of the construction materials prompted his office to lessen the number of GK houses. Based on their estimates, the P5 million is only good for the construction of 60 houses.
The 60 row houses will be constructed in the 16.2 hectares relocation site in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro district. The project would be implemented by the Gawad Kalinga. Each row will have 10 houses.
Former City Engineer Edwin Bravo, who represents GK in the project, said they can build 10 houses every month or a span of six months for the 60 houses. They are hoping to get the help of skilled workers aside from the GK volunteers to fast track the construction.
The housing units are intended for the families whose houses were swept by flash floods brought about by Typhoon Frank. The families living in the danger zones such as creeks and waterways are the priority recipients of the housing program. The assessment and evaluation for the recipient families is still on going.
Gonzalez added that there are procedures that need to be followed in the release and disbursement of the funds. He, however, is confident to get additional funds next year for more GK houses.
Aside from the funds for the construction of housing units, Gonzalez also funded P500,000 for the construction of three deep wells and a P2 million macadam road for accessibility.
The deep wells will be powered by a windmill to distribute water for the entire community. The windmill powered deep wells is the initial step in addressing the water needs of the relocatees who are expected to transfer to the transit houses built in the relocation site.
Transit houses are built to accommodate the recipient families meantime the housing units are constructed. Transit houses are purposely for sleeping. Communal facilities such as kitchen and bathroom and comfort rooms are separately constructed.