DHSUD seals funding for resettlement projects in Abra quake–hit communities

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Tuesday said it has sealed funding for public-private partnership resettlement projects in quake-hit communities in Abra.

The DHSUD, other key agencies, and the local government of Tayum, Abra signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with SM Development Corporation (SMDC) for the development of resettlement sites for the families severely affected by the magnitude 7.0 quake that hit the region on July 27.

“Our plan of developing resettlement sites is already in place. In fact, I came here with officials from the SM Development Corporation as one of our partners in constructing resettlement sites here in Abra,” DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar  said in a statement.

The DHSUD secretary earlier said they have initiated talks with the biggest developers to explore potential development projects for affected families whose houses were either destroyed or damaged following the recent quake.

He said it is planning three resettlement sites for affected residents in the municipalities of Tayum, Bucay, and Peñarrubia in Abra.

“May we walk together to turn the dream of every Filipino to have a house of their own into reality, ” he added.

Last week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the cost of 2,433 damaged infrastructure in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and the National Capital Region (NCR) is now at P1,993,069,205.62.

Most of the damage, involving 1,453 infrastructure, was in Ilocos Region amounting to P1,038,953,119.65.

This was followed by CAR with 828 damaged infrastructure at P922,086,923.16, and Cagayan Valley with 131 damaged infrastructure at P32,029,162.81. — Richa Noriega/BM, GMA News