GMA provides housing to Valenzuela 'Ondoy' victims

MANILA, Philippines -  President Arroyo distributed yesterday certificates of occupancy rights to units in a medium-rise cluster building project in Valenzuela City to residents whose houses were destroyed last year by tropical storm “Ondoy.”

The President, with Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, also led the official groundbreaking ceremony for the 56-building housing project designed to accommodate families living in “high-risk” areas, especially along the bank of the Tullahan River.

Gatchalian said the project was initiated to fasttrack the relocation of some 1,800 typhoon-affected families, 200 of whom lost their homes.

An initial beneficiary of 48 families immediately received yesterday their certificate of occupancy from the President, according to Marither Menia, Gatchalian’s spokesperson. 

Gatchalian said the Disiplina Village project, is a joint undertaking between the local government and the private sector led by the Dakilang Handog Foundation, chaired by Dee Hua Gatchalian.

Under the agreement, the city government would provide two hectares of its property in Barangay Ugong, while the foundation would supply materials for the project’s construction that includes a multi-purpose covered court, a day care center, a health center and a livelihood training center. 

The San Miguel Corp., the Valenzuela Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CDO Foodsphere, Inc., Splash Corp. and Wellex Industries are the major donors for the P100-million housing project — P25 million for the lot and P75 million for its construction.

Gatchalian said they could save around P50 million for the construction as the beneficiaries agreed to do it for free. 

The mayor said the project is also a manifestation of the local government’s effort towards its dream of a squatter-free city and of bringing back the dignity of the poor by providing them with a decent housing.   – Pete Laude