[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading tag=’h3′ padding=’10’ heading=’GUV ON HOUSING WOES: FILE RAPS’ color=” style=’blockquote modern-quote’ custom_font=” size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’18’ custom_class=” admin_preview_bg=” av-desktop-hide=” av-medium-hide=” av-small-hide=” av-mini-hide=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=”]
BY IME SORNITO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
Sunday, March 18, 2018
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
ILOILO City – The alleged inaction on complaints against a housing project for super typhoon “Yolanda” survivors in Barangay Bacjawan Sur, Concepcion, Iloilo got on the nerves of local officials.
Recipients have been complaining about various deficiencies in the housing units, including cracks on floors, lack of water and sloppy construction of toilets, since November last year.
Asked if the complaints have reached him, a pissed Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. told the press, addressing the beneficiaries: “File charges against everyone behind that unfinished project!”
Recipients have complained that some of the housing units were unfinished while others were “substandard.”
The 1,000-unit project handled by the National Housing Authority (NHA) is worth P290 million. Each unit costs P290,000. The NHA hired Hercar Construction Corp. as contractor.
Among the complaints were cracked floors, scaling of concrete walls, leaky roofing, uneven paint application, lack of water supply, and sloppy construction of toilets, Concepcion mayor Millard Villanueva said.
Defensor claimed the NHA has not informed him about this housing project.
“They did not extend any courtesy nga pabal-on [kami] nga, ‘Gobernador, may project kami da sa Concepcion, pwede nga buligan mo kami?’ Waay gid a,” the governor said.
The local government of Concepcion has been receiving complaints about the housing project since last year.
The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) first met with the NHA and the contractor to bring up the complaints on Nov. 8, 2017. The latter promised to act on them but recipients said they have seen no action.
“Napatawag na ina sila sang [SB], siguro mga four times na nga ginpatawag,” SB member Mark Ruffin Villaruz, chairman of the Committee on Order and Public Safety, told Panay News.
“May mga commitments sila (NHA and contractor) pero asta subong wala man gihapon natapos,” Villaruz said.
The SB – through the committees on Housing and Land Utilization chaired by Rolinda De Julian and on Infrastructure led by Reymond Gabayeron – will again call the NHA and the contractor to a meeting this week.
Villaruz threatened to refer the complaints to higher investigative bodies if the NHA and its contractor still fail to address the issue.
“Kon indi sila mag-commit, maybe we can refer this to (the Office of the) Ombudsman and (the) NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) for investigation,” he said.
Villaruz said his privilege speech in their last session tackled the alleged inaction on the complaints.
“Substandard ang pag-obra. First of all, ang structure sang building indi gid masaligan. Ang ding-ding, naga-uyog, kon basi imo sandigan, matumba,” he said.
“Around 60 to 70 percent” of the beneficiaries launched a signature campaign last year to air their grievances to the NHA and its contractor, Villaruz said.
Meanwhile NHA regional project manager Luz Ysatam told the press they will hold a dialogue with the complaining recipients on March 24./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
