Issues order to complete remaining projects
BURAUEN, Leyte — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. led the turnover of housing units across eight towns in Leyte, Biliran, and Samar on Friday, January 17, during a ceremony held in this town.
A total of 3,655 housing units were distributed, benefiting survivors of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’, which devastated Eastern Visayas in 2013.
The housing projects were initiated during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte but were completed and occupied under the current Marcos administration.
The President has said that he directed all concerned government offices, including local government units where these unfinished and unoccupied resettlements sites, to be completed on December 31,2025.
The units are located in Culaba in Biliran; Marabut in Samar; and Tabontabon, Tanauan, Julita, Dagami, Pastrana, and Burauen in Leyte.
The ceremonial turnover took place at the multi-purpose building of Burauen Community College, with mayors of the beneficiary towns accepting the housing units on behalf of their constituents. President Marcos was joined by House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla at the event.
Currently, 1,551 families are residing in these housing units, including 68-year-old Delia Ocesador of Barangay Arado, Burauen, who has been living in her unit since June 19, 2024.
“I am happy that we now have a better house. We can sleep soundly even during bad weather,” said Ocesador, a widow whose late husband, Romulo, passed away before they could enjoy their new home.
Her four children also reside in the same housing project, Cool Spring Residences, located about a kilometer from the town proper.
The Cool Spring Residences project comprises 600 units, each with a floor area of 28.60 square meters and a lot area of 40 square meters. All units are now occupied.
In his speech, President Marcos assured the beneficiaries of the durability and safety of their new homes, emphasizing their disaster-resilient design.
“Nagpatayo tayo ng mga bahay na matibay at kayang siguruhing ligtas ang inyong pamilya sa gitna ng mga hamon ng kalikasan,” he said.
In an ambush interview, President Marcos instructed the National Housing Authority, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and concerned local government units to prioritize the completion of remaining housing projects for Yolanda survivors.
“Iyong unang ginawa na mga pabahay substandard—kulang sa kuryente, kulang sa tubig, walang kalsada, at napakalayo kaya’t hindi masyadong nagamit,” he said.
“To address this, we are providing funding to local governments to rehabilitate and complete unoccupied units so they can finally be used by the people,” the President added.
According to the NHA, it has completed 175,728 out of 189,800 target units as of December 2024, including the 3,517 units in today’s ceremonial turnover, while the remaining 14,072 units are expected to be completed by December 2025.
Around 67 percent or 133,725 of the completed housing units were already awarded to, and occupied by, beneficiaries.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
