Safe housing solutions

The June 20 News article COA questions P414-M housing project on hazardous land discussed the need to ensure safe housing solutions for the underprivileged.

Malinta Waterways Alliance Housing Cooperative (MWAHC) is a project approved under the previous administration and implemented through the People’s Plan approach. The land was acquired in 2015 and 80% of its cost was paid in 2016. The old SHFC Board authorized the release of funds for the purchase of the property relying on the Development and Building Permits from LGU Valenzuela and Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the DENR as these agencies have the statutory right and expertise to determine the feasibility of putting up the housing project in the area. Moreover, SHFC, in the exercise of extraordinary due diligence requires community associations to secure a soil boring test particularly for three-storey residential projects before the LGU can issue the necessary permits. In this case, not only one but three soil boring tests were conducted.

The new SHFC Board decided to momentarily stop the construction of houses under the MWAHC project in order to reassess the latter. This is in light of the recently disclosed safety and health concerns. Specifically, the new SHFC Board wants to ensure the stability of the soil as well as make sure that there are no hazardous chemicals or waste that would affect the member beneficiaries.

That is why in addition to the existing construction project monitoring, namely ESCA Inc., SHFC’s new management is in the process of procuring the services of a third party geotechnical engineer to conduct soil contamination and soil bearing capacity tests to further assess the feasibility of the project site for a three-storey housing development. These tests will be conducted within the month of July.

As a long term intervention to avoid the occurrence of similar incidents, the new SHFC management has created a Technical Working Group composed of engineers to validate the HOA’s choice of the land that will be used for relocation and ensure compliance with conditions set by the certifying body. SHFC is strongly committed to building adequate, livable, affordable and inclusive (BALAI) Filipino communities. – LORIE B.

BUNDOC, Strategic Communications Manager, SHFC, Paseo de Roxas, Makati City