Noli, NHA chief act on Southville health woes

Alarmed by the spread of skin diseases among some residents of the Southville housing project of the National Housing Authority in Cabuyao, Laguna, Vice President Noli de Castro, the government’s housing czar, has ordered a speedy probe on the cause of the diseases.

De Castro also wanted health authorities to investigate if the diseases are related to the continued operation of a nearby dumpsite.

In a related development, National Housing Authority (NHA) general manager Federico Laxa requested the Department of Health and the health unit of Cabuyao town to dispatch medical teams to the housing project to treat the residents and determine the health risks posed by the dumpsite.

Based on data gathered though, only 38 children or .006 percent out of the 33,485 household members in the housing project have been infected with skin diseases.

Last month, the NHA conducted a dental and medical mission that benefited 6,697 families in Southville as part of its continuing effort to uplift the physical well-being of the residents.

Various pharmaceutical companies donated over P300,000 worth of drugs, mainly antibiotics, vitamins, pain relievers, and medicines for cough, colds, fever and other common illnesses.

The NHA developed the 53-hectare Southville resettlement site for families displaced by the clearing of the Philippine National Railways’ right-of-way in Manila, Makati and Cabuyao in preparation for the rehabilitation of the railway system.