Housing czar Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar wants a public-private partnership (PPP) for resettlement projects in the earthquake-stricken Abra province.
He said he is keen on forging a partnership with the private sector to fast track land development and construction of resettlement sites, particularly in calamity-stricken areas in the country.
Meanwhile, The amount of infrastructure damage from the magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked Abra and nearby provinces in Northern Luzon on July 27 has climbed to PHP1,805,650,590.62.
In its 8 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said the cost of 2,383 damaged infrastructure in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) now stood at P1,805,650,590.62.
He said he has already initiated preliminary talks with several of the country’s biggest developers to explore potential development projects for affected families whose houses were either destroyed or damaged by a 7 quake in Northern Luzon last month. Rio N. Araja
“We have been providing emergency shelter assistance since the earthquake happened in the form of temporary shelter materials and now with financial assistance through the emergency housing assistance program (EHAP). We now need a proactive response through a more permanent solution to the damages this calamity has caused. Building shelters should now become a priority. We need help from our private partners for us do that,” he cited.
The agency has been entering into agreements with local governments and the private sector for various housing-related development projects around the country through the incentivized compliance to balanced shelter program.
According to Acuzar, for Abra, DHSUD is eyeing three resettlement sites for quake-affected residents with a potential to build 930 housing units in the towns of Tayum, Bucay and Peñarrubia.
Upon validation of DHSUD regional office in the Cordillera Administrative Region with the National Housing Authority and local government units, Abra recorded 264 totally destroyed houses while
19,165 were partially damaged in the municipalities of Tayum, Bangued, Bucay, Pidigan, La Paz and San Quintin.
“I recognize our funding limitations in the government. But we cannot stop there. We need to explore other means, for as long as it is legally allowed, to provide for the housing needs of our fellow Filipinos. The active participation of our partners in the private sector will be a big boost for this purpose. I will personally see to it that this will successfully come into fruition,” Acuzar cited.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier directed DHSUD, Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of National Defense and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to closely monitor the progress of assistance being provided to the quake victims.
Acuzar, along with other DHSUD and its key shelter agency officials, is scheduled to visit Abra today to personally oversee the response being undertaken in the area.