Nograles calls for reactivation of LIAC to complete Yolanda housing projects

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles called on Leyte mayors to reactivate their local inter-agency committees (LIAC) in a bid for a successful turnover of the still-unfinished Yolanda resettlement housing projects more than five years after the supertyphoon struck.

In a speech before 42 mayors at the National Economic and Development Authority office in Palo, Leyte, Nograles said many housing units intended for affected families remain unfinished while the completed ones have yet to be occupied.

“We have to address this by reactivating the LIACs. If the LIACs are active, major milestones have been observed," Nograles said.

"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 added.

LIACs are composed of mayors, local government offices’ department heads, civil society organizations, people’s organizations, and other stakeholders from the private sector. A Sanggunian resolution is needed to activate LIACs.

The said committee primarily serves as the focal structure of coordination and clearing house for relocation and resettlement planning and implementation.

Nograles is appealing to local government units to actively support and participate in this cause, pointing out that the effective implementation of the housing program can only be achieved through LIACs.

"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 said.

Citing the report of the National Housing Authority on the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program, Nograles said that of the 205,128 housing units in the Yolanda corridor, 56,140 are in Region VIII as of February 2019.

Of this 56,140 housing units in the region, 29,531 housing  units are fully completed, with 18,183 units already occupied and 11,348 units ready for occupancy. 

According to Nograles, the government is targeting to complete all housing projects in 2020, but most of these units should be finished by the end of 2019. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News