THE National Housing Authority (NHA) is set to turnover by the end of January 500 temporary shelters for Marawi internally displaced persons (IDPs).
NHA General Manager Marcelino P. Escalada Jr. reported this on the January 22, 2018 edition of Balai Talakayan centered on the status of the housing project in the war-torn Marawi City.
“These shelters located at Barangay Sagongsongan are constructed in 40-sq-m lot with 22-sq-m floor area. These are
single-detached, pre-fabricated units with individual power and water installations,” GM Escalada announced.
NHA also made its Marawi projects fully developed with concrete roads and drainage in accordance with the instruction of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to make temporary shelters and its community livable and comfortable to its dwellers.
By March, NHA is expecting to finish the 1,170 temporary shelters in Bgy. Sagonsongan.
GM Escalada stressed,“Our mission is to construct 6,400 temporary shelters and 2,700 permanent shelters for MarawiIDPs.”With Site 1’s 50% completion, NHA is now preparing to start the Site 2 construction. “For Site 2 we will be hosting another 1,000 (IDPs).Once we are 50% complete with Site 2, my instruction is to proceed with Site 3, 4 and 5, so that we shall be able to complete the 6,400 units,”he said.
The GM also emphasized,“One thing that I appreciate from today’s Administration is keeping open dialogues between stakeholders. This brings forth new developments and improvements in our sites and projects. For our Marawi sites, the local government unit of Marawi, along with the Ulama, the Sultan and the beneficiaries, requested for much bigger space for Site 2. We are seriously considering this and we continue to converse with them. Hopefully, after several dialogues, we shall be able to perfectly provide what is best for the people of Marawi.”
As for the permanent shelters, GM Escalada said that NHA will start exploring for sites that could accommodate 2,700 units. “While we are constructing the temporary shelters, I am also trying to explore the possibilities of developing the permanent shelter (sites). Something that isvery secure, something that is stable.”
He also clarified that for two to three years, survivors can stay in their temporary shelters while their permanent shelters are being constructed and their homes which they personally own in the city are being rebuilt.
The NHA is also looking into constructing low-rise buildings in the city that will serve as permanent shelters for public school teachers, uniformed personnel (AFP/PNP) and local government employees. “I am now coming up with our developmental proposal to construct more or less five low-rise buildings of 60 units per building within our NHA property in Marawi. I have presented that and it was positively accepted by the people of Marawi,” the GM said.