House to back Duterte housing for PNP, AFP

President Duterte’s request for funding guarantees to finance better housing projects for the country’s uniformed personnel will be heeded by the House of Representatives as it finalizes the proposed 2019 national budget.

Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas, vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said amendments to the proposed P3.757-trillion budget are still being finalized by the small committee created for the purpose.

Vargas said this would allow the panel to guarantee the grant of Duterte’s request to allocate funds for the housing projects that would benefit members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The President made the request during a meeting with former president and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Vargas strongly backed Duterte’s appeal, saying that House it is only proper that military and police personnel and their family be accorded decent housing units.

“The government should also prioritize housing projects for different sectors, especially for the members of our military and police forces as a way of showing gratitude for the services they are giving to the Filipino people. I fully support this initiative of the President,” he said.

Vargas noted that Duterte had long been advocating for better shelter program for the uniformed personnel.

The QC lawmaker affirmed his support for Duterte’s advocacy when he defended the proposed 2019 budgets for the various housing agencies of the government.

During the budget deliberation, Vargas noted that out of the P36 billion budget sought by the National Housing Authority (NHA), only P360 million was granted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).