VP De Castro, Sec. Cabral here today for groundbreaking of P35M housing project
Vice President Noli de Castro is here today for the groundbreaking ceremony at the San Isidro, Jaro relocation site. The ceremony will signal the start of the construction of the P35 million housing projects funded by the Housing Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).
De Castro, who also chairs the HUDCC, initiated the release of the funds for the construction of 500 housing units in the 16.3 hectares relocation site. The P35 million funding was channeled to the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with the Habitat for Humanity Philippines Foundation (HFHP) Inc. as the project implementor.
The P35 million was the Vice President's contribution to the city's rehabilitation efforts after it was devastated by Typhoon Frank. The primary recipients of the housing units at the relocation site are the families living along the danger zones such as creeks and waterways.
At present, there are already families who are occupying the transit houses at the relocation site meantime the permanent housing units are to be built. The occupants of the transit houses are those families who stayed at the Jaro gymnasium after the typhoon Frank.
The 16.3 hectares relocation site will also host the construction of 450 housing units of Gawad Kalinga funded by the congressional allocation of Representative Raul Gonzalez Jr., Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri and Panay Electric Company (PECO).
The Vice President will be accompanied by DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral in his visit to the city today.Vice President De Castro and Secretary Cabral will also lead the distribution of the P500 one shot cash subsidy to some 1,889 senior citizens from Iloilo City. The release is the first trance of the cash subsidy to qualified senior citizens under the "Katas ng VAT Tulong kay Lolo" at Lola project.
The DSWD secretary is also expected to make announcements on the government's effort in seeking the assistance from the Italian government for the construction of another 500 housing units for the San Isidro relocation site.