LINGAYEN —- The National Housing Authority (NHA) is set to release P8.3 million to Pangasinan for the land development works of the Aplaya West Resettlement Project located in Pangapisan Norte for the benefit of 295 informal settler families in Lingayen.
Engr. Alvin Bigay, province’s housing office chief, said the fund allocation was approved early this year by the NHA under its Resettlement Assistance Program for Local Government Units upon request of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.
The resettlement site has an area of 25,715 square meters and is covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 499 issued by then Pres. Fidel Ramos in 1994 as relocation site for displaced families affected by calamity and disasters and those living in public lands.
The total development cost of the project was estimated at about P11.6 million. The province will allocate P3,249,932 for site filling works as its equity while the NHA’s subsidy of P8,354,477 will be used to concrete roads, set up electrical and water supply system, drainage and riprapping.
Bigay revealed that NHA has also granted the request of the province to undertake the land development works by administration. “It will use its equipment and manpower to maximize the funds allocated for the project so that any excess of it would be used for the livelihood component of the beneficiaries,” he said.
Moreover, Bigay said that a proposed resolution authorizing the province to undertake the project’s land development works by administration still awaits approval from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. When approved, Bigay added, the funds will soon be released by the NHA.
“In fact, our engineering office has already started doing the filling works while waiting for the funds,” Bigay said.
For the housing component, Bigay added it will be sourced out from the P200-million to be borrowed by the province from the Land Bank.
Once completed, he said, the project will generate 295 developed homelots with a model area of 4.5 meters by 10 meters. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)