Sta. Marcela, Apayao - Fifty housing units from the National Housing Authority shall soon be occupied by 50 indigenous household beneficiaries in Sta. Marcela, Apayao later this year as the units are near completion.
The provision of homes for the underprivileged indigenous peoples in said town will greatly aid benefitting households in improving their living conditions, as well as facilitate their economic activities.
The Pabahay Project was done in barangay San Juan of the said municipality and was funded by the NHA with a total cost of P20 million, of which P16 million was allocated for the housing units, while the remaining P4 million was intended for the concreting of its residential streets and pathways.
The National Housing Authority, as mandated by law through Republic Act 7279, is the primary government agency in charge of providing housing to the underprivileged.
"Hopefully, the units will be turned over to the recipients this July," personnel of the Sta. Marcela Municipal Engineering Office said."
Each housing unit costs approximately more than 300,000 pesos with basic amenities and facilities.
The project construction started in 2019 following its collaborative proposal created by the involved offices in the Local government Unit of Sta. Marcela.
However, the increased costs of materials in the previous years brought by the Corona Virus pandemic caused a slight delay in its earlier target date of completion. Recently this year, the construction resumed and it is expected to be occupied by the IPs - with the Agta tribe having the most number of recipients.
The identification of said beneficiaries was assigned to the elected Indigenous Person Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of each barangay in partnership with the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) whose responsibility was to conduct interviews with each enlisted recipient.
The IPMR as the representative of the collective aspirations, interests, and welfare of his group was responsible to identify the most qualified beneficiaries in the area while impartially abiding by the selection guidelines.
In particular, barangay Panay, San Juan, and Consuelo were the areas prioritized having the greatest IP residents in the municipality.
The Mayor of the town, Hon. Evelyn Martinez, gladly welcomed the development of resettlement sites and permanent housing for the indigenous groups in the municipality.
Previously, 40 units of Housing projects were also built in barangay San Carlos and 10 units in barangay San Juan which have been used for years as permanent resettlements for the calamity-affected families in the municipality.
The project was funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD), with the LGU Sta. Marcela giving its financial counterpart.
"So far, the municipality has the greatest number of housing projects in the province. This, we envisioned to create long-lasting impact and legacy in the lives of our constituents through providing them residential units for free," MWSDO Ignacia Aman said.
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