In our society and culture, because of the imposing unitary system of governance, our people depend too much on what the central authority says before anything substantial is done and accomplished for the constituency.
One glaring example is the housing controversy currently hugging the headlines. The dilemma needed Pres. Duterte’s word to settle the forced occupation of a housing project in Pandi, Bulacan by thousands of homeless and informal settlers belonging to the group called Kadamay.
Initially, National Housing Authority officials said they were going to court to get eviction orders against the Kadamay members but after PRRD announced he would cede the seized units to Kadamay, they (NHA) just acquiesced with heads bowed.
Built by the NHA meant for members of the AFP, the dwelling units looked too small with a floor area of only 22 sqm per. This resembles more like a studio unit in a condo. Is this size big enough to comfortably accommodate 4, 5 members of a soldier’s family? I doubt it.
Aside from this discouraging statistic, the housing settlement is sited too far away from where the soldiers go to work (Metro Manila). Basic utilities and amenities such as water and electricity have not been installed yet. Transport fares are also costly as one had to take several connecting rides.
The NHA explains that MERALCO required a 70% occupancy of the more than 5,000 homes therein before it can put in place electric cables and light the whole place. That is reasonable.
The NHA also said it coordinated and held talks with the AFP Housing Board before it started constructing the Pandi housing project.
So, if these kinks were already ironed out between the builder (NHA) and its client (AFP) why, in the end, things didn’t work out?
During the consequent senate hearing, complaints against the size and site of the housing project became the focus. Even the quality of the construction materials used surfaced.
The NHA cannot be faulted wholly. It constructed the Pandi housing project after determining the needs of AFP members who were going to occupy it. The question is asked: Did NHA solely and unilaterally select Pandi as the site without the approval of its client (AFP Housing Board)?
Something is wrong somewhere. Taxpayers’ money is used to build these huge housing settlements. Are these housing projects going to waste, just like that?
While the monthly amortization is cheap (P200/month for the first five years), there is no denying that much more will be expended by the soldier-dweller than if he lived/resided somewhere close to where he is assigned.
The NHA and AFP did not say whether a shuttle service will be provided, though. Another thing: the NHA appeared very slow and sluggish in promoting the Pandi project as a habitable community for soldiers’ families.
Naturally, because of the discouraging circumstances surrounding the Pandi housing site, homeless members of Kadamay are equally pushing hard, hoping to convince the government to just offer these units free to them as a humanitarian gesture to the peasants.
That Pres. Duterte already allowed the first wave of Kadamay members to occupy un-tenanted units at Pandi, is already a voluntary act of kindness and generosity of the incumbent administration.
Malacanang, however, should not stop probing into housing development projects entered into by NHA. There are ugly rumors – dating from way back – that some well-placed NHA people are handsomely profiting from them.
AFP soldiers deserve something more decent. While they are considered government employees, unlike their civilian counterparts, they lay down their lives to defend the country against any form of violent aggression, internal and external. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
