by Sarwell Meniano/PNA
TANAUAN, Leyte — Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles on Friday asked local government units to organize or activate their local inter-agency committees (LIACs) to help complete the post-“Yolanda” housing projects.
Nograles said that more than five years after Super Typhoon Yolanda struck central Philippines, some houses for affected families remain incomplete while some finished projects are still unoccupied.
“We have to address this by reactivating the LIACs. If the LIACs are active, major milestones have been observed. This includes submission of a complete list of beneficiaries, monitor the status of construction of housing units, facilitate the actual transfer of beneficiaries, and come up with occupancy rules and regulations,” he told reporters here.
The LIACs consist of mayors, local government offices’ department heads, civil society organizations, people’s organizations, and other stakeholders from the private sector.
The cabinet official, who heads the inter-agency task force on “Yolanda” rehabilitation, visited this town to check permanent houses built by the National Housing Authority (NHA). The resettlement site here with 361 families, has been tagged as a model for adopting the “township concept”.
“We are appealing to local government units for active support and participation because only through LIACs that we can effectively implement housing program. Through this committee, they can generate issues and concerns, report to us, and address these needs through national government agencies with the help of local governments,” he added.
On Saturday, Nograles met with 42 mayors in the region at the National Economic and Development Authority 8 (Eastern Visayas) office to hear issues related to post-disaster housing.
Citing an NHA report, he said that as of last February, out of 56,140 post-disaster housing units in the region, 29,531 have been completed, 18,183 are occupied, and 11,348 are ready for occupancy.
The government is eyeing to finish all housing projects by 2020, but most houses are up for completion by the end of this year.
“We need to find out the needs of resettlement sites and program it under the 2020 budget. We want a township approach where resettlement sites are provided with electricity, water, community center, school, health center, access road, and livelihood opportunities,” Nograles added.
