BURAUEN, LEYTE – After 12 years following Supertyphoon Yolanda’s (Haiyan) devastation in Eastern Visayas, finally, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos, Jr. led the acceptance of the completed Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP) Projects and Turnover of Symbolic Key here Friday (January 17).
“Sama-sama nating pahalagahan ang mga tahanang ito na siyang magsisilbing pundasyon ng mas matatag na pamayanan at mas maaliwas na kinabukasan,” the President urged the beneficiaries. He also directed the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and National Housing Authority (NHA) to explore additional housing designs that can endure climate change and other challenges. The President said funds will be allocated for the needed repair of existing Yolanda Housing Projects.
Prior to the program, the president also visited the beneficiaries in Cool Spring Residences, Brgy. Arado, Burauen, Leyte. He was joined by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre, Presidential Management Staff Undersecretary Mark Gimenez, Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla, and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
A total of 3,500 completed units of the YPHP were turned over to their respective beneficiaries. Of these, 1,900 have already been occupied.
NHA General Manager Joeben Tai, on the one hand, led the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement and deed of donation with the concerned local government units. He shared that they have already completed 175,000 housing units. Of these, 133,000 have been turned over based on the data of the local interagency committee. “With this turnover, we hope that you can prioritize and witness the development in your communities,” he told the beneficiaries.
The seven other Yolanda Permanent Housing Projects include Culaba Housing Project, Brgy. Binongto-an Culaba, Biliran; Marabut Ville Sites 1&2, Brgy. Tag-alag, Marabut, Samar; Mont Eagle Ville Subdivision, Brgy. Sacme, Tanauan, Leyte; Coconut Grove Village, Brgy. Dita, Julita, Leyte; Dagami Town Ville, Brgy. Sawahon, Dagami, Leyte; and Pastrana Ville, Brgy. Aringit, Pastrana, Leyte.
Teofilo Lledo, a farmer and housing beneficiary from Marabut, Samar, expressed gratitude that his new house will finally be turned over to them. “Our house was washed out by Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013 but I am grateful that finally we will have a safe home for me and my family,” he shared. (By Marie Tonette Marticio / EV Mail JAN. 13-19, 2025 issue)
