Vice President Jejomar Binay distributed P27.3 million in housing aid to Negros Occidental, P19.9 million of which was given to victims of super-typhoon “Yolanda”, at rites held at the Talisay City Hall yesterday.

The P19.9 million for 51,182 families, whose houses were destroyed or damaged by Yolanda in Negros Occidental, was given to EB Magalona – P2,499,375, Manapla – P4,999,120, Silay – P2,499,627, Talisay – P2,496,900, and Victorias – P7,490,880, Binay said.

The vice president also said about 20,000 families living in coastal communities of Silay, Cadiz, Escalante, Sagay and Victorias cities, and Manapla and EB Magalona towns are also being targeted for relocation.

They need to be relocated because they currently live in the 40-meter no-build zone, he said.

Binay noted that the housing backlog in Negros Occidental is 112,000.

At the Talisay rites, Binay also turned over a P7 million check to the Hinigaran Government Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative, under the Pag-IBIG Fund Group Land Acquisition and Development Program.

Binay also gave checks to six community mortgage program mobilizers, identified as the Bacolod Housing Authority – P9,700, Helping Underprivileged Metropolitan Area and Neighborhood Evolvement Inc. – P12,028, National Housing Authority – P139,680, Negros Urban Areas Development Foundation – P36,084, San Sebastian Community Urban Land and Development Foundation – P26,772, and Shelter for Homeless and Economic Development Inc. – P108,640.

The vice president also witnessed the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Social Housing Finance Corp. and four cities and municipalities as partner local governments, under the Localized Community Mortgage Program to address housing backlogs.

The signatories were mayors Eric Saratan for Talisay City, Frederick Palanca for Victorias City, and Andrew Montelibano for Murcia, and Vice Mayor Rex Depasucat for EB Magalona.

Now there is hope for the 1,852 informal settler families who are beneficiaries of this partnership, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said.

This covers 643 families in Victorias, 283 in EB Magalona, 750 in Talisay City and 176 in Murcia, he said.

Benitez said their initial data shows 13,545 informal settlers in Victorias, Talisay and Murcia alone, stressing that shelter and housing concerns are urgent.

At the Talisay rites, Binay gave awards to Negros Occidental local government units under the 2013 Comprehensive Land Use Program Zero Backlog project of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

The lone gold winner was La Carlota City, and the silver awardees were Pontevedra town, Bago and Escalante cities.

The bronze category winners were La Castellana, Salvador Benedicto, Toboso, San Carlos and Victorias City.

Twenty-six community associations in Negros Occidental that are beneficiaries of the Community Mortgage Program under the Social Housing Finance Corp., who attained the highest collection efficiency rate, were also given certificates of recognition by the vice president.

Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. did not attend the rites.*CPG

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