The National Housing Authority (NHA) continues to implement housing projects in Palawan in line with Republic Act 7279, also known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.
According to Maximo R. Cabasal, Officer-in-Charge of NHA-MIMAROPA, several housing projects in the province are currently under construction, while others have already been completed.
Ongoing projects include a 70-unit housing development on Pag-asa Island in the municipality of Kalayaan; two adjacent housing projects in Coron—Coron Heights and Coron Residences—which are expected to benefit around 1,400 families; and the 265-unit Safari Ville housing project in the municipality of Busuanga.
The housing projects in Busuanga and Coron were initiated in 2018 under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP), but progress was delayed due to land title issues, which are now being resolved.
Cabasal also mentioned that a housing project in the municipality of Bataraza has already been packaged, but it has yet to receive funding from the agency.
Meanwhile, the NHA has completed several earlier housing projects, most of which have already been distributed to beneficiaries. Among these are the 36-unit housing project for indigenous peoples in Brooke’s Point and an additional 60 units in Barangay Ipilan, also in Brooke’s Point.
There is also a 42-unit housing project that has been turned over in Barangay Teresita in the municipality of Dumaran.
Additionally, a 433-unit housing project in Culion under the YPHP has been completed, with most of the units already distributed to beneficiaries who were victims of Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
Apart from housing construction, the NHA is also providing financial assistance to disaster victims for the repair of damaged homes.
Cabasal reported that around 14,000 families in Puerto Princesa and over 300 in other parts of Palawan received financial aid following the devastation of Typhoon Odette in 2021. Each beneficiary family received ₱10,000 in assistance from the NHA. (PIA)
