ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/07 July) – The National Housing Authority (NHA) said it could finish the construction of 5,587 housing units by June 2015 for the residents displaced by the standoff last year between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front-Nur Misuari faction.
Thousands of residents were displaced when Misuari’s followers occupied some coastal barangays in September 2013 and engaged soldiers and police in sporadic hostilities that lasted three weeks.
Al-Kwarizimi Indanan, NHA district manager, said the turnover of permanent shelters to the evacuees will start by December this year citing they could complete the construction of at least 5,000 by that time.
Indanan said the remaining 587 housing units will be completed by June 2015.
The NHA is set to construct a total of 5,587 housing units comprising 3,498 houses on stilts and 2,089 houses on land.
The houses on land will consist of 1,476 duplex type and 613 two-storey type of houses or a total of 2,089 units.
Indanan said the permanent shelters for the evacuees will be built in barangays Kasanyangan, Mariki, Rio Hondo, Sta. Catalina, Sta. Barbara and Taluksangay.
The evacuees are currently staying in seven transitory sites and at the evacuation centers along the R.T. Lim Boulevard and Mayor Joaquin Enriquez Memorial Sports Complex.
Indanan said the national government has allocated P2.566 billion for the rehabilitation and construction of permanent shelters for the displaced residents.
He said P800 million of the P2.566 billion was given to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the site development of areas where the permanent shelters will be constructed.
The site development includes road networks and drainage system. (MindaNews)