SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday gave the Aquino administration a failing mark for what he called its failure to solve the country’s 5.5-million housing backlog.
During separate dialogues in San Jose and Norzagaray in Bulacan, Marcos criticized the backlog and blamed it on the insufficient funds being allocated to the housing program.
“The problem of housing is very, very simple: there’s no funding,” Marcos said.
“There are no funds to build houses and the Philippines lacks 5.5-million units.”
Marcos also said he was baffled why the government’s campaign against the big-time drug lords was not making any significant progress when their identities were known to the authorities.
“We all know who they are these drug lords,” said Marcos who is running for vice president in next year’s election.
He told an open forum during a meeting of the Rotary Club of Pasay on Wednesday that the officers of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency knew who the drug lords were.
“Why are we not arresting them, putting them in jail and throwing the keys away?” Marcos said.
He said another miscue in the government’s housing program was the non-provision of basic services in the relocation sites.
He said a complete relocation program does not only entail the building of housing units but also the provision of basic needs like water, electrical connection, schools, markets, access to transportation and jobs in the relocation areas that the government is failing to accomplish.