MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will lead tomorrow the awarding of housing units to almost 200 military and police personnel in Calamba, Laguna.
The event is in line with Administrative Order no. 9, which ordered the National Housing Authority (NHA) to come up with a housing program for military and police personnel nationwide.
The order, issued last April, allotted P4.2 billion for the construction of 20,000 housing units.
“This is basically a fulfillment of the promises of the President especially on the morale and welfare aspect of our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) personnel. The promises of the President are being fulfilled,” Defense department spokesman Eduardo Batac said.
Batac said they would continue to implement projects that would look into the welfare of uniformed personnel.
Of the beneficiaries, 97 are military personnel. The rest are members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Military beneficiaries whose housing units are located in Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, and Bulacan will attend the ceremony to formally receive their housing units.
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, other Cabinet members and officials of the AFP, PNP and NHA have been invited to the event.
During the 25th Edsa Revolution anniversary last February, President Aquino promised to provide low-cost housing to security personnel to be paid for over 30 years. This paved way for the issuance of Administrative Order no. 9, which seeks to provide affordable housing to 20,000 uniformed personnel.
The monthly amortization payments shall be based on a 30-year repayment period at an interest rate of six percent per year. Salary deductions for the payment of the monthly amortization shall be arranged between NHA, PAG-IBIG Fund, the AFP and the PNP.
The housing units will be located in the provinces of Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal.
A 22-square meter row house on a 36-square meter lot and an 18-square meter expandable row house on a 40-square meter lot are available for soldiers to choose from in Gen. Trias and Trece Martires in Cavite; Biñan and Calamba in Laguna; Bocaue in Bulacan and Baras and Rodriguez in Rizal.
The 22-square meter row house costs P140,000, with monthly amortization of P200 for the first five years, increasing to a maximum of P1,307 on the 26th to 30th year.
On the other hand, the 18-square meter house costs P173,000 with monthly amortization of P400 for the first five years, increasing to a maximum of P1,419 on the 26th to 30th year.
More than 1,000 soldiers have filed their application for the housing program.