“I CAN vouch that the Ormoc Permanent Housing for Earthquake Victims located at Brgy. Gaas and Dolores, Ormoc City, has high quality housing units. I challenge Mayor Gomez that he can cancel the project’s building permit if he finds the project to be substandard,”NHA GM Marcelino P. Escalada, Jr. addressed his personnel during the Monday flag ceremony held at the NHA grounds.

He continued, “As the Mayor of Ormoc City, he is authorized to cancel building permits through his city engineers and building officials rather than parading the issue on social media.”

GM Escalada was referring to Republic Act 7160: Local Government Code of 1991, under Section 2 (c) which states that “It is likewise the policy of the State to require all national agencies and offices to conduct periodic consultations with appropriate local government units, nongovernmental and people’s organizations, and other concerned sectors of the community before any project or program is implemented in their respective jurisdictions.”

GM Escalada is one with the Head for Operations Engr. Victor C. Balba on assuring the public that housing projects implemented under the Duterte Administration are of high quality within the parameters set by the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) and that all materials used in NHA projects passed standard test requirements to assure desired quality of housing units. Pursuant to NHA Memorandum Circular 1168: Standard Test Requirements and Accreditation of Testing Laboratories for Housing Development Projects, tests are being conducted by Bureau of Research Standards DPWH accredited laboratories.

As the General Manager of the sole socialized housing provider, Escalada emphasized that “production of substandard housing units will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly.”