Kidapawan city: The National Housing Authority (NHA) has initiated construction for a PHP70-million housing project designed for families displaced by recent earthquakes in Cotabato. This marks the commencement of the Kidapawan Resettlement Project located in Sitio Calaocan, Barangay Paco, Kidapawan City.
According to Philippines News Agency, Region 12 manager Engr. Zenaida Cabiles stated that the project is a component of the agency's Housing Assistance Program for Calamity Victims (HAPCV). The development will feature 67 duplex buildings, totaling 134 permanent housing units, including 65 standard duplexes and two units specifically designed for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The resettlement site will offer permanent housing solutions to families affected by earthquakes not previously covered by earlier housing initiatives. It also aims to accommodate those residing in high-risk areas or along fault lines identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Each housing unit within the project will have a lot area between 78.3 to 106 square meters, with a 30 square meter floor area. The units will be equipped with a two-chamber septic tank, complete sanitary and cold water lines, and an electric power supply.
Funded by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) through the Comprehensive Aid to Repair Earthquake Damage (CARED) Program, the project is slated for completion later this year. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Kidapawan City Mayor Atty. Jose Paolo Evangelista, OCD Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Diego Laguna, DHSUD OIC Regional Director Benleo Jarangue, Barangay Paco officials, and representatives from the Metro Kidapawan Water District and the Cotabato Electric Cooperative.
This initiative aligns with the government's Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program and President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Bagong Pilipinas vision, which advocates for the creation of safer, resilient, and sustainable communities across the nation.
