Tandag City informal settlers get housing aid
ALMOST 500 informal settler families (ISFs) stand to benefit from a memorandum of agreement (MOA signed Friday between the Department of the Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Tandag City local government.
Representing DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario were Undersecretary Marylin Pintor, Assistant Secretary Leira Buan and Arch. Leonardo Buyan, Officer-in-Charge of DHSUD-Caraga Regional Office. On the other hand, Tandag City Mayor Roxanne Pimentel signed for the LGU.
The simple signing ceremony was also witnessed by Surigao del Sur Gov. Alexander Pimentel, members of the city council and leaders of the beneficiaries.
Pintor and Buan explained the mandate of DHSUD as they vowed all-out support to the Tandag City LGU in providing shelters to the underprivileged constituents.
“As constantly stated by our Secretary Del Rosario, we have three guiding principles at DHSUD. First, we consider shelter as a right, I know this very well having been previously with the Commission on Human Rights, and home ownership is an option. Second, we don’t just build houses, we develop sustainable communities, and lastly, we don’t build substandard housing units,” Pintor explained.
“We are here for a mission given to us by our dear Secretary – – that is to extend all assistance to the LGU and families who need safe shelters… We are just instruments to deliver to you the service and love from our national government through DHSUD,” Buan said.
Under the MOA, DHSUD will assist the Tandag City LGU in developing an 8.95-hectare lot in Barangay Rosario into a socialized housing and resettlement site.
The LGU, on the other hand, would process the masterlist of beneficiaries, initially numbering 492 families living along danger zones.
“It has been our dream here in Tandag City to provide decent, safe and affordable housing units to our constituents who are in the vulnerable sector. Thank you DHSUD for your assistance,” Mayor Pimentel said. “With your help, we can now work as solid partners in helping our people realize their dream of owning a house,” she added.
As the primary government agency in providing decent, safe and affordable housing units, DHSUD is currently scaling up partnerships with LGUs, particularly in the rural areas, to assist in their shelter projects.
