DHSUD’S del Rosario finally gets CA confirmation

THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said over P50 million was raised from the sale of scrap metal from the Most Affected Area (MAA) in Marawi.

During his Commission on Appointments hearing on Thursday for his confirmation, DHSUD Secretary Eduardo del Rosario said the amount is now lodged in the coffers of the local government.

San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo B. Zamora, who raised the issue, said the amount should have been given to homeowners in the MAA and not to the local government.

“The money should not remain with the local government. It should be distributed to the homeowners whose buildings were flattened,” Zamora said.

Del Rosario explained that the bidding for the scrap metal was not done by the Task Force Bangon Marawi ( TFBM), of which he is the chairman.

The local government’s efforts to sell the scrap metal was conducted accordance with government’s procurement rules. The contract to buy the scrap metal was granted in the third bidding for the project.

Del Rosario said the scrap metal was sold at P8 per kilo. The proceeds of the sale, he said, is being used by the local government to finance a trust fund for the war-torn city.

He explained that after two failed bids, the winning bidder offered to buy the scrap metal for P10 per kilo. The local government also created a committee to monitor the use of the trust fund.

The committee tasked to oversee the funds will consult with the barangay captains on how best to use the amount raised by selling the scrap.

“It’s the local government unit which conducted the auction,” del Rosario, who was later confirmed by the powerful appointments body, said. “I can say that everything was conducted above board and everything was conducted properly by the local government, Mr. Chairman, your honors.”

Upon completion of the rehabilitation of Marawi City, del Rosario earlier vowed that the Islamic City will rise again before the term of President Duterte ends.

Confirmation

ON Thursday, the CA confirmed the ad interim appointment of del Rosario as the first-ever head of the DHSUD.

Del Rosario expressed his gratitude to all CA members, particularly the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement Chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino, for his confirmation by the CA.

He also thanked President Duterte for trusting him to handle the housing portfolio that went on full operation only last January.

“I would like to thank President

Rodrigo Duterte for his trust and confidence in me. I would also like to express my gratitude to the members of the CA. Rest assured that I will exert my best effort in fulfilling my tasks as head of the housing department,” del Rosario said.

“My confirmation will serve as a challenge for me to lead government efforts in bridging the country’s housing need which is pegged to reach 6.5 million units by 2022,” he added.

As housing czar, del Rosario advocated close collaboration with partner- developers to ensure synchronized public and private efforts in the housing sector.

Currently, DHSUD is crafting a 20-year national housing road map to institutionalize pro-active measures.

Meanwhile, del Rosario rallied all DHSUD personnel to join hands in pursuing DHSUD’S mandate of providing sustainable, resilient and more affordable housing communities to Filipinos, especially the underprivileged.