‘Demolish substandard houses for Ormoc quake victims’

ORMOC CITY – Mayor Richard Gomez has asked the National Housing Authority (NHA) to demolish at least 16 housing units in a permanent relocation site for earthquake victims in Barangay Gaas in this city.

Gomez said investigation showed that substandard hollow blocks were used.

PhintecStar Construction Inc. is the contractor of the project. Almost 100 of the targeted 190 housing units have so far been built.

“Biktima na nga ng lindol ang mga taong ito, mabibiktima na naman if we allow this kind of substandard construction. I cannot allow that to happen... to my constituents,” Gomez said.

The relocation site is supposed to be a “model” NHA design with “loftable” row houses. It was designed in response to Gomez’s request for the NHA to build more spacious units than the “usual matchboxes.”

In a recent meeting with NHA officials and PhintecStar, Gomez said he ordered an investigation after he was shown a video of brown hollow blocks at the site, which crumbled when picked up.

Reeya May Cornillas, NHA communication relations officer, said she was surprised at the report and video, noting that PhintecStar is among their best contractors. She gave assurance that the NHA would immediately act on the report.

Investigation showed the project engineer was not at the site when the hollow blocks, which were ordered from Kananga town in Leyte, were delivered.