A Party-list lawmaker is calling for a congressional probe
into the alleged substandard housing units for policemen and members of the
military.
“All socialized housing projects of the Government must
conform to the highest standards to ensure the quality and sustainability of
the housing units,” Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary C. Alejano declared.
Alejano has filed a resolution (still unnumbered) “directing
the appropriate House Committee to investigate, in aid of legislation, the
substandard housing units constructed by the National Housing Authority (NHA)
for the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine
National Police (PNP).”
As basis for the probe, Alejano cited Section 9, Article
XIII of the Philippine Constitution which states that “The State shall, by law,
and for the common good, undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a
continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available
affordable cost, decent housing and basic services.”
Relative to this, he added that the NHA was 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 whose need for housing must be
addressed immediately.
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.
He also revealed that the units have walls, doors and window
panes that are easily breakable, roofs that are easily blown away by strong
winds, the hollow blocks used for the foundation and walls were not completely
filled in with cement.
Likewise, the septic tanks were in very sad condition
because of the very thin concrete cover and other pertinent issues related to
poor construction, he added.
The substandard housing units “bastardize the sacrifices
rendered by our gallant soldiers and policemen, and as guardians of peace and
protectors of democracy, the provision of decent housing is a small price to
pay for the freedom were currently enjoy,” Alejano, a former military officer
himself, lamented.
“The Filipino people, through their elected Representatives,
would like to condemn these inhumane shelter system being provided our soldiers
and policemen who have worked hard to defend the Filipino people,” the declared.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=904556
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.