NHA to double housing assistance for Yolanda victims – VP Binay

By OVP Media
November 27, 2013

MANILA – Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Tuesday said the National Housing Authority (NHA) will increase from P5,000 to P10,000 the amount of assistance it will give to families whose homes were partially destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda.

“NHA provides construction materials for families whose homes were partially destroyed by the typhoon. We initially provided a maximum of P5,000 worth of materials, but we changed that to P10,000 after we got a clearer picture of the extent of the damage,” the Vice President said.

Binay, who heads the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), said they will also study the impact of relocation on the livelihood of those affected by Yolanda who will be moved to safer areas.

“For example, we just can’t relocate farmers or those living in coastal areas because the sources of their livelihood will not follow them,” he said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has previously announced that the government will be enforcing ‘no-build’ zones along areas 40 meters from coastlines.

Moreover, the housing czar said he wants to study what assistance can be extended to residents or tenants of residential buildings noting that many of such buildings were destroyed in Tacloban City after being battered by the super typhoon.

Binay previously said that members of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF or Pag-IBIG Fund) with existing housing loans whose homes were damaged by the super typhoon are covered by the agency’s Mortgage Redemption Insurance.

“Pag-IBIG Fund has also allocated P5 billion for calamity loans and an additional P5 billion for housing loans for members living in areas affected by Yolanda. We will increase this amount if there is a need,” Binay said.