Pampanga Gov. Dennis “Delta” Pineda has awarded on Thursday certificates of housing occupancy to 77 out of 96 Aeta families who had been displaced by a 6.1- magnitude earthquake that rocked Luzon on April 22, 2019.
Vice Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, and Porac Mayor Jing Capil, together with officials from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), joined the governor in turning over the keys to the new houses built on a 2.8-hectare land purchased by the provincial government in Barangay Babo Pangulo for Aetas from Barangay Diaz.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Department of Science and Technology had declared Diaz to be “not fit for human habitation” due to large cracks following the temblor whose epicenter was east of Castillejos, Zambales.
For their safety, then Gov. Lilia Pineda temporarily transferred the Aetas to a lot owned by the family of Board Member Fritzie David-Dizon in Babo Pangulo.
The 37 units were built by the provincial government through funds of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, according to its head Angelina Blanco.
She said the 40 other units were funded on a P20-million grant from the National Housing Authority.
Each unit, measuring 30square meters, was built on a budget of P500,000 each, Blanco said. It has a bedroom, lavatory, kitchen and living room.
Additional units will be built through a donation from a private foundation tapped by Vice Gov. Pineda.
In the presence of NHA officials, Governor Pineda remarked that the units are truly ideal homes.
He said the provincial government also funded the construction of a water system and daycare center at the relocation site.
He committed to build a barangay hall, school buildings, and basketball court with the help of the Porac local government.
Porac Mayor Jing Capil will lead the site development. Pelco II will install electric meters in the area while the Provincial Engineering Office will build canals.
“Sana po pangalagaan ninyo ang mga bahay na ito. Huwag niyo pong iwan at ibenta sa mga unat dahil regalo po ito ng provincial government para sa inyo. Kahit ano mang problema niyo, parati niyo pong tatandaan, ang Kapitolyo ay parating nakaantabay po sa inyo,” Governor Delta told the Aetas.
The beneficiaries also received a cavan of rice, canned goods, house kits from the provincial government, and P3,000 from the DSWD. (PIO Pampanga)
