Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, together with National Housing Authority (NHA) and LGU officials, led the turnover of Yolanda housing units in Santa Fe, Cebu on April 20, 2021 as part of the Duterte administration’s commitment to complete and distribute all promised housing units to beneficiaries in affected areas.
The virtual turnover of 1,000 houses was for the Sto. Niño Home, Barangay Maricaban, Santa Fe, Cebu location under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Project in Central Visayas.
Housing recipients include the following areas: Tabuelan (220 units), Daanbantayan (1,863 units), Bantayan (450 units) and Medellin (631 units), plus the latest one in Santa Fe (1,000 units).
Since assuming the chairmanship of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Unified Implementation and Monitoring of Rehabilitation and Recovery Projects and Programs in Yolanda-affected Areas, Nograles turned over 4,164 units to different cities and municipalities in the Cebu province.
Housing recipients include the following areas: Tabuelan (220 units), Daanbantayan (1,863 units), Bantayan (450 units) and Medellin (631 units), plus the latest one in Santa Fe (1,000 units).
Nograles praised the NHA leadership and local government officials for their dedication in ensuring the project’s timely completion and turn over despite the various logistical and scheduling challenges brought by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We give special thanks to NHA General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Regional Manager Engr. Jude Juntilo, Engr. Jeef Arranguez, Engr. Mary Ann Quimado and other officials and staff of NHA Region 7 whose dedication made this turnover possible,” the Cab Sec remarked.
The Malacañang official likewise made mention of the crucial support from Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Diño, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, Mayor Ithamar Espinosa, Vice Mayor Naomi Espinosa, members of the Sangguniang Bayan and employees of the Santa Fe LGU.
Nograles praised the NHA leadership and local government officials for their dedication in ensuring the project’s timely completion and turn over despite the various logistical and scheduling challenges brought by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Nograles, who chairs the administration’s Task Force Zero Hunger, noted that “through our partnership with Pilipinas Kontra Gutom which is composed of various private corporations, we will create community gardens from idle lands so that the people of Santa Fe can grow nutritious food for consumption and commerce.”
This effort, the Cabinet Secretary stated, was in line with his advocacy to combat hunger and poverty, especially in Yolanda-affected areas, further stressing that “kailangan natin magtulungan, we need to cooperate and coordinate with stakeholders in this important battle against hunger and malnutrition, particularly among our children.”
Mayor Espinosa, for his part, spoke on behalf of the LGU and thanked the President, Nograles and the NHA for “inspiring us and giving assurance that the government will address our needs here in Santa Fe. We are forever grateful for this gift of housing. We will do everything we can to deserve this generous benefit.”