MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL — Finally! a local government has gave flesh to the government’s dream of providing high rise and beautiful housing project, it will soon be a reality in Ozamiz City, said National Housing Authority General Manager Marcelino Escalada Jr.
The Informal Settler Families or ISF program involves relocation and resettlement of families living in or along danger areas in Metro Manila particularly those along waterways such as creeks, rivers, and esteros.
Escalada lauded the concept of Oaminal to maximize space in his proposed housing project in Ozamiz City is very impressive “The concept of a condominium housing for informal settlers is a very good idea for a housing project because you give people a house without uprooting them from their ecosystem, given that the project of Congressman Oaminal is just within the same area where the beneficiaries used to live, it is very ideal.”
The NHA, according to Escalada will provide every support needed for the completion of the project “Technical support, construction aspect- whatever? we will provide them because we technical aspect of the construction and provide support in whatever capacity, because the local government and Congressman Oaminal is doing it right.”
Oaminal, who is among the Deputy Speakers of the house is now establishing a P50-million four-storey condominium in Barangay Lam-an Ozamiz City as a resettlement area for informal settlers living in dangers zones.
The Congressman said “The project is under construction and it can house over 100 families mostly into underground economy and the vulnerable sector, we need to respond to their need for a decent shelter in collaboration with national government agencies.”
The housing project in Ozamiz is the first condomunium resettlement for ISF “we would like to other LGU’s to follow what Ozamiz is doing,” Escalada said.
On September 23, NHA 10 regional manager Rolando Teves Jr. visited the site and he was impressed how the project is undertaken “It is a very nice project and it is very practical and doable approach in responding the housing needs.”
In fact Escadala said, he will support future housing projects intended for Ozamiz City.
Oaminal said the site is not just a resettlement building but it will also house a commercial and health complex for the people of Ozamiz.
“The program is to give them housing to raise their standard of living,” he said, noting that aside from multi-level buildings, he wants to build a court, a daycare center, and a community market.
Asked why he provided such an ambitous project in Lam-an, Oaminal said “I want to give my nieghbors decent house because we’d been together during my childhood days,I am still with them until now.”
Ozamiz City Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal for his part said, the project is a big leap to the housing program.
Jocelyn Anghag, one the beneficiaries of the housing project in an interview said “Sige ko ug tan-aw sa among umaabot nga balay, lipay kaayo mi kay mahatagan na mi og nindot nga balay, pinaagi kang Congressman Oaminal (I a always look at our future home, I am so happy that we will be given a beautiful house through Congressman Oaminal).
Anghag in vernacular said her family and other beneficiaries are looking forward to having their own decent homes.-Editha Z. Caduaya with report from Expedia G. Roxas
