Agency assures calamity resilient houses for Itogon

THE HOUSING and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in the region will develop communities with quality and resilient houses for the families in Itogon displaced by Typhoon “Ompong” (Mangkhut).

HUDCC Deputy Secretary General, Assistant Secretary Leira Buan told the Philippine News Agency on Friday that they will be scouting for a safe location for the displaced families.

"We really have to address this issue, to give them a resilient housing for them not to suffer the same tragedy,” Buan said.

She added since the country is prone to calamities, it is necessary that the area for housing development, especially those of the government, should be geologically safe.

Buan confirmed various Local Government Units (LGUs) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) are trying to identify a safe place for the displaced families, where they can build a community to continue their lives normally.

"When we say community, its a complete facility. It has schools, hospitals, churches, and of course a resilient housing, we are very hopeful that no one will suffer the same fate as they had," she noted.

She reiterated under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, all housing departments were ordered to build communities according to the national housing code.

"If there is a problem with the contractor, and if we see they [the houses] are substandard, we will issue a stoppage order, we do not allow substandard housing," she said.

Relaying the President’s order, Buan said, “ang bahay na dapat sa tao, bigyan ng nararapat na kalidad, at sa kanilang pamumuhay.”