National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Joeben Tai personally led the groundbreaking and capsule-laying ceremonies at the Authority’s project site for earthquake victims in Makilala, Cotabato on July 13, 2023.

This project is under the NHA’s Housing Assistance Program for Calamity Victims which is aimed to respond to the housing needs of families affected by calamities like earthquakes, floods, fires, landslides, and typhoons.

A total of 1,329 families whose homes were destroyed by a series of 6.1 to 6.9-magnitude earthquakes in Cotabato in the last quarter of 2019 will benefit from this project.

The family-beneficiaries come from nine (9) barangays of Makilala, namely, Bato, Buenavida, Buhay, Cabilao, Indangan, Luayon, Malabuan, Malasila, and Sto. Niño.

In his speech during the event, GM Tai shared his sentiments on how devastating it is to be a victim of disasters as it leads to loss of homes, property, communities, and even loved ones.

Assuring that the structures built by the NHA are of quality and can withstand up to 7-magnitude earthquakes, GM Tai further added that under his leadership, “the NHA will continue to partner with other government agencies and the private sector to fulfill the agency’s mandate to provide quality homes and progressive communities for low-income and marginalized Filipino families.”

Joining GM Tai in the ceremonies were NHA Region XII Manager Engr. Zenaida M. Cabiles, Cotabato 2nd District Representative Rudy S. Caoagdan, Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, Makilala Mayor Armando M. Quibod and Vice Mayor Ryan D. Tabanay; Office of Civil Defense Region XII Director Raylindo S. Aniñon, Opusland Inc. President Ramon “Shintaro” Valdez, and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Region XII Officer-in-Charge Engr. Gifaril Martinez-Cabalquinto.