By Jelly Musico- PNA
SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan —Living up to his promise to provide decent and affordable housing units for military and police, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday led the initial awarding of the 500 housing units to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s Army Scout Rangers.
Duterte inspected a model house of the Scout Ranger Ville Housing Project inside the 50-hectare land area located in Brgy. Calumpang, San Miguel, Bulacan.
“Owning a house has always been a dream of every Filipino. I urge every beneficiary of this housing program to take good care of these units,” Duterte said in his speech after the ceremonial turnover of the housing units to the beneficiaries.
“May this project further inspire you to serve your nation, deepen your patriotism and foster your sense of family and community,” he added.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) has appraised the value of the 150-square meter housing unit at PHP1.5 million but the government made it only PHP944,000 per unit constructed by Eddmari Construction and Trading.
Duterte, however, reduced further the price to PHP844,000, meaning recipient has to pay only PHP4,000 monthly amortization for a fully-furnished, two-bedroom unit with 60-sq. meter floor area and space for garage.
“Ngayon kasi nakikinig kayo dito, and very behave kayo, (Now because you are listening and you are behave), less 100. So 844. So it’s about 4,000 monthly,” Duterte announced, drawing applause from beneficiaries and their respective families.
NHA general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr. announced that the remaining 500 units of the housing project in San Miguel, Bulacan will be completed by May next year.
Aside from amenities like clubhouse and wet market, Escalada said the Scout Ranger Ville Housing project will have an Olympic-size swimming pool where AFP swimmers can train.
The housing project will also have one unit of three-story, 15-classroom school building.
Escalada said the AFP and PNP have other housing projects in Davao City, Lanao del Norte, Tarlac, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga, Baguio City, La Union, Samal and Davao Oriental.
He said 10,000 units are being constructed for 2018 and additional 10,000 will be built in 2019.
Meanwhile, First Scout Ranger Regiment commander, Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, expressed “sincerest” appreciation to Duterte for his care and concerns to the Filipino soldiers.
