Nolcom awards soldiers 100 more new homes

ANGELES CITY – After denying reports that some soldiers under its jurisdiction are being recruited for anti-government undertakings, the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) announced yesterday that 100 more houses will be awarded to soldiers under the military’s Kawal Kalinga project in Tarlac City.

“Soldier-beneficiaries of the second batch of 100 completed housing units at the Kawal Kalinga off-base housing project in Barangay San Jose de Urquico will receive their respective keys and certificates of ownership Sept. 28,” Nolcom announced. Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. will preside over the turnover rites.

The housing project is outside the Camp Aquino headquarters of the Nolcom in the city.

Nolcom noted that “the first 100 housing units were awarded in June 2006 by then Defense Secretary  Ave­lino Cruz Jr., almost a year after the Kawal Kalinga Program was formally launched here with the Department of National Defense-Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gawad Kalinga Foundation Inc., the office of Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr., the office of former Agriculture Sec. Luis Lorenzo Jr. and the provincial government of Tarlac signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure its success”.

Magsaysay allocated P9 million for the site development subdivision plan while Lorenzo had committed his agency for livelihood and productivity components of the housing program.

“The Kawal Kalinga program will address the ‘software components’ of the AFP’s capability upgrade plan (CUP). Soldiers can focus on their job of promoting the country’s security and territorial integrity without having to bother about their basic personal and family welfare because their families are secure in a Kawal Kalinga Village,” Nolcom said in a statement.

Nolcom chief Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang said “soldiers will be more effective in their job if they do not worry about their families’ living condition. Soldiers deserve nothing but the best because they are sacrificing even their lives in the performance of their mission”.

Nolcom said each housing unit costs P50,000  built on a 100-square meter lot. The housing model was prepared by the non-government Ga­wad Kalinga and could be expanded to a total floor area of 40 square meters.  Gawad Kalinga shouldered the P25,000 construction cost while the other P25,000 was provided in the form of loan to the beneficiaries by  various AFP financial institutions.

The AFP Savings and Loans Association, Inc. allocated P30 million for Gawad Kalinga for the construction of 1,000 housing units.