The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has expressed its
willingness to help in the House of Representatives investigation on the
alleged substandard housing units given to active-duty military and police
personnel.
Brig Gen. Restituto Padilla, AFP spokesperson, said they are
willing to cooperate in the investigation initiated by Magdalo party-list Rep.
Gary C. Alejano and expressed their thanks to the legislator for his concern.
And although the AFP is not the party being investigated for
the housing mess, Padilla said the military is willing to make available to
Congress, personnel, who made complaints about National Housing Authority (NHA)
units in Baras, Rizal and Manolo Fortich.
The NHA is the agency mandated to implement the AFP/PNP
Housing Program, a flagship program of former President Benigno S. Aquino III
that seeks to provide permanent housing and security of tenure to low-salaried
military and police personnel.
However, in a site inspection personally conducted in Baras,
Rizal and Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, the inspecting group which included a
member of Congress easily observed the inhumane housing environment for the
soldiers and policemen, Alejano said.
He also added that the units were “notoriously dubbed as
‘Bahay Kalapati’ due to its uninhabitable condition and substandard
construction.”
“The substandard housing units suffer from glaring
inadequacies such as unavailability of water and electricity sources as well as
inaccessibility to social services leading to a burdensome life and a hellish
residential environment for our soldiers, policemen, and for their respective
families,” Alejano deplored.
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