95 Dumagat families will soon have new homes in Gabaldon
GABALDON, Nueva Ecija – Municipal Mayor Jobby P. Emata said indigenous families belonging to the Dumagat tribe here will soon have their own houses in this third-class municipality.
At least 95 brand-new houses – 80 units of which are nearly completed are already set for turnover to the IP (Indigenous People) families in Barangay Malinao this coming month of March, he said.
The mayor said the housing project was a joint venture between the municipal government and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), which commenced in March last year during the tenure of then-DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, who heeded former President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to prioritize IPs in the provision of safe, resilient and affordable housing in the communities.
“Matatapos na mga 80 housing units sa Bgy. Malinao, ‘yung mga Dumagat sa Dupinga ililipat na sa Malinao para sa resettlement nila. Ang naging kapartner namin duon ay ang DHSUD. Pero nakagawa na kami ng 12 bahay nang dumalaw nuon si Sec. Del Rosario sabi ko po baka puwede makahingi kami ng additional pabahay ayun po pati kanal nilalagyan nila, at magiging 95 units na siya ngayon,” he added.
Emata, a lawyer, also clarified that the IP beneficiary would only have usufructuary rights over the housing unit that would be turned over to them, meaning they would only have temporary rights to use and derive benefit from the said someone else’s property.
“Di ko po i-a-award ang ownership, usufruct po siya hanggang sa mamatay anduon sila, yung ownership po hindi i-a-award, kasi baka ibenta, the 42-year-old bachelor-mayor explained.
Emata said the municipal government bought the lot for the IP housing project at the cost of P1.5 million.
He added they are still eyeing to acquire other lot areas for additional low-cost housing projects of the Dumagats, whose population here stands at less than 2,000.
