NHA eyes completion of Yolanda housing program by end of 2019

If all goes to plan, all victims of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which caused massive destruction in the Visayas in November 2013, will have occupied their permanent housing units by the end of 2019.

During a briefing on Tuesday, the National Housing Authority (NHA) said it hopes to construct the remaining permanent housing units on the first quarter of that year.

"Optimistic kami na matatapos to lahat, magi-slide towards first quarter and second quarter of 2019," said NHA Engr. Grace Guevarra.

In 2013, Yolanda devastated 171 cities and municipalities and 14 provinces in six regions. The NHA said it faced a housing demand of 205,128. Four years later, NHA has built less than half of its target.

Based on the agency's status report as of October 30, 2017, a total of 78,291 units are already completed, with 59,924 still ongoing construction. However, only 26,256 have been occupied, around 38 percent of units ready for occupancy.

The completion of the Yolanda permanent housing program could have been finished in 2018, according to NHA project implementation head Engr. Romuel Alimboyao, adding the delay was partly caused by the late submission of beneficiaries list from the local government units.

"Yung delay, may parte doon yung pag-submit ng proponents na mga property na suitable for housing... Di sana 2018 tapos na tapos na," he said.

Guevarra meanwhile clarified that permanent housing was not an immediate priority following the calamity.

"In any calamities po, pagkatapos ng calamity, housing would not be the priority of every LGU. Buhay, pagkain, medicine — 'yun ang inuuna nila," she said.

"When we went down to the LGUs asking for figures, ang sagot nila, hindi pa. Ang problema pa namin ay pagkain, first aid, temporary shelter kung saan sila lilipat. But not permanent housing," Guevarra added.

The bidding for housing construction started on September 30, 2014, a year after the tragedy. A total of 194,454 have already been bidded out, and the NHA is left with a remaining balance of 10,674.

NHA hopes that the bidding for the remaining units will be done by Wednesday. —KBK, GMA News