North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza led the event together with Tulunan Mayor Reuel Limbungan, National Housing Authority (NHA) 12 regional director Zenaida Cabiles, OCD 12 regional director Raylindo S. Aniñon, Vice Governor Efren F. Piñol, and other local government officials.
Each of the 52 housing units with an 80 square meter lot area and 27.50 sqm floor area amounted to P289,500 per unit or a total of P15 million.
In an interview, Beneficiary Cheryl Pandacan, 33 years old of Sitio Elkak, barangay New Caridad said the housing assistance is of great help to her family because it is concrete and given to them for free. She said they would shoulder only the monthly electric and water bills. Pandacan of the B’laan tribe, her farmer husband has five children. “Dako kaau ug tabang kayduol ra pud sa skewelahan para sa mga bata. Layo ra kaau ni kung ikumpara sa among balay sa una nga gipuyan namu 15 ka tuig nga naa pa gyud sa bakilid (very big help because it is also near the school for our children this is far better compared to our old house located in the cliff ),” Pandacan said.
Norma Taub, 64, also from Sitio Elkak said after waiting for almost five years she and her family are happy they now have a permanent home.
The 52 housing units which were handed over to the beneficiaries, mostly indigenous people (IP) formed part of the ongoing 517 permanent housing units with a total project cost of P149.60 million for five barangays in Tulunan that were badly hit by the series of magnitude 6.3, 6.6 and 6.5earthquake in 2019.
Limbungan in an interview identified the five recipient barangays as New Caridad (52 housing units), Paraiso (140), Magbok (122), Batang (63,and Daig (140)
The project is funded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council- Office of Civil Defense (OCD and implemented by NHA. It has a total land area of 18.6799 hectares targeted to be completed by November this year.
The residents of these barangays were recommended for permanent relocation by the DENR (Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and . DOST- Phivolcs as they occupy high-risk/landslide-prone areas.
He said the turnover in barangay New Caridad was the first. The turnover of the housing units for barangays Paraiso and Magbok is scheduled for next month.
Limbungan thanked Gov. Mendoza for helping raise a portion of the total budget that came from some senators, LGUs, and the provincial government.
“We are so lucky that the lady governor has many friends like senators, and local officials from different LGUs who help raise some funds for the project,” Limbungan said.
Also, the local government unit of Tulunan has purchased five hectares of land intended for housing, barangay, and school sites in Barangay New Caridad. The LGU will also provide other needs for the housing project such as electricity and water supply for the recipients.
Mendoza said she is glad to see the IPs finally moving to their new homes after the 2019 disaster.
She also mentioned that the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA)headed by Secretary Leo Tereso Magno has assured to assist with the basic needs of Mindanao LGUs. Thus, she said, she raised to the Secretary water system as an important concern that needs to be addressed in the province particularly those affected by calamities. Mendoza is one of the MinDA board members.
A little Lumad boy stands in front of his new home in Barangay New Caridad, Tulunan.
The 52 housing units given for free to the 2019 earthquake-affected families in barangay New Caridad, Tulunan
Indigenous People beneficiaries of the 52 housing units listen during the short program after the turnover ceremony at Barangay New Caridad in the municipality of Tulunan, North Cotabato
Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza (5th from L) lead the cutting of ribbon of the model house together withTulunan Mayor Reuel Limbungan (3rd from L) and NHA 12 regional director Zenaida Cabiles (2nd from L)
Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza and Tulunan local government officials celebrate housing assistance turnover event
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