Ejercito: Pandi housing units not suitable for ‘usual Pinoy family’

PANDI, Bulacan - After seeing the units for themselves, the heads of the housing committees at the Senate and the House of Representatives agreed that the government housing meant for low-salaried uniformed personnel may not fit its intended beneficiaries.

Sen. JV Ejercito and Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, along with other lawmakers, visited the AFP-PNP Housing site in Pandi, Bulacan on Tuesday, as part of the ongoing Congressional inquiry on housing matters, including the recent takeover of urban poor group Kadamay.

Ejercito, who led the said inspection, noted that the units, with floor area of 22 sq.m., could pass as a “bachelor’s pad,” or at most, for a couple with only one child.

Sen. JV Ejercito, Cong. Alejano and other officials during inspection of a bare AFP-PNP Housing unit. pic.twitter.com/3D6UWCmwy7

— Aica Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) April 25, 2017

He said that the units built by the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the said program are not suitable for the “usual Filipino family,” which has at least four members in a household.

“Siguro kasi for a family of five, kung lima kayo, masikip na ito. Kahit apat. Kung mag-asawa lang, isang anak, puwede. Pero kung apat o lima—which is, more often than not, ganoon ang Filipino culture, extended family—hindi talaga kasya,” he added.

Ejercito also noted that the units looked “rushed,” and more could have been done in terms of finishing.

“Mukhang safe naman, pero siguro ‘yung finishing, palitada, titingnan mo rin talaga, talagang bare na bare kung ibibigay sa’yo. Hindi mo rin masisisi ‘yung ibang beneficiaries kung ito ‘yung maaabutan nila ganito, magugulat talaga sila,” he added.

Benitez echoed this, saying the units are “too small.”

“‘Yung AFP-PNP housing, hindi na talaga titirahan ng intended beneficiaries ‘yon. Unang una, napakaliit. Pangalawa, mapapansin n’yo, raw houses, bahay lang makikita mo. Walang park, walang open space, so sa mga may kaya, sa mga targeted beneficiaries ng NHA, mukhang hindi talaga papasukin ‘yun. Kaya ‘yan siguro kung bakit napakaraming unoccupied housing units,” he said.

In this regard, Ejercito and Benitez proposed that the NHA come up with size “options” for beneficiaries.

During Tuesday’s visit, the lawmakers were able to inspect a bare housing unit, like those recently occupied by urban poor group Kadamay, as well as a model unit, which had a loft.

The bare units did not have windows or doors, nor a completed bathroom.

Members of the House's Makabayan bloc, who support Kadamay occupation, also here at site inspection. pic.twitter.com/jvc3aSCT5M

— Aica Dioquino (@AicaDioquino) April 25, 2017

According to Romuel Alimboyao, NHA Region III officer-in-charge, it is up to a beneficiary to build a loft for his unit, which comes at P240,000, payable at P200 a month for the first five years.

Ejercito said that installing a loft would cost at least another P30,000 to P50,000.

But another main concern for lawmakers was the claim that units have been turned over to beneficiaries without basic utilities like water and electricity, leading to the latter’s reluctance to take the said houses.

“‘Yun ‘yung gusto naming maimbestigahan, kasi according to the local officials na kasama natin, ‘yung iba raw talagang sinabing pinalipat na, wala pang tubig at kuryente,” he said.

“‘Di siguro tayo dapat pumuwersa na palipatin o i-turn over sa beneficiaries na walang tubig at kuryente. That would be inhumane. ‘Di naman hayop dapat ang trato sa tao. Dapat kung sakali mang i-turn over natin ‘yan, dapat may tubig, may kuryente. At least utilities man lang,” Ejercito added. — BM, GMA News