Tuesday, January 19, 2010 [ sunstar.com.ph ]
DAVAO del Norte’s Provincial Government started to gain ground in its effort to provide homes and shelter security to the less fortunate members of the society.
Capitol, which now assumes greater role in addressing the shelter needs of the poor, laid one of the many stones that support a dream house for every Dabaonon with the implementation of a housing project for the San Miguel Urban Poor Homeowners Assciation Inc. (Samuphai) at Purok Namnama, Cuambogan, Tagum City.
Davao del Norte Representative Arrel Olano provided P6.1 million from his Countryside Development Fund for the purchase of a 4.7-hectare parcel of land to benefit 343 members of Samuphai.
Olano turned over the check, which was coursed through the National Housing Authority, to the Provincial Government. He was assisted by NHA area management officer Enrique Cruz Jr. during the turnover.
Acting as a conduit of the fund, the province will pay the amount to the landowners and then collects mortgage repayments from the beneficiaries to be able to pay the amount back to the NHA.
The province, in close coordination with Samuphai, sooner will raffle the subdivided lots to the beneficiaries.
Olano asked the beneficiaries to treasure their new settlement by seriously taking their responsibility to a meager mortgage. He also appealed to them never to sell the individual properties afforded to them by the government, which they can leave as a legacy to their offsprings.
In his message, Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario, who was represented by Vice Governor Victorio Suaybaguio, expressed his gratitude to Olano for supporting the effort of the province in providing a descent dwelling place for the marginalized sectors.
Del Rosario added the local housing program as the newest component of his comprehensive RDR Wheels impact agenda, in order to tackle the problem of homelessness and "preserve the integrity of every Dabaonon family within a decent home."
He created the Housing and Homesite Regulation Division under the Provincial Administrator's Office (Pado) to undertake housing development, resettlement or other activities that would enhance the provision of housing, especially to the poor Dabaonons.
"Today, we've just laid one of the many stones to support a dream house for every Dabaonon," he declared, urging all stakeholders not to stop right there, as the government’s housing program is constantly challenged both by market failures and rapid urbanization.
Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on January 19, 2010.
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