Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro is offering 1,400 houses that may be utilized as relocation sites for displaced victims of Tropical Storm “Ondoy”.

However, the housing units are not for free. De Castro said that these government housing units will be offered to victims at an affordable package of two-year moratorium on their payments, with a monthly amortization of roughly P200 at six percent per annum (on the lot only) payable in 30 years.

De Castro bared this during the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting at the Cainta Municipal Hall last Friday. He also told President Arroyo that the government can consider the development of a portion of the 1,551-hectare property in San Miguel, Bulacan as a relocation site.

He said these houses are located in Towerville Resettlement Site in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, with 400 units; Southville 4 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, 250 units; Southville 5 in Biñan, Laguna, 500 units; and Southville 5-A also in Biñan, Laguna, 250 units.

Aside from the houses, De Castro said the government has in its inventory service 5,721 lots. These are again located in the Towerville Resettlement Site with 800 lots and Jovil 1 and 2 in Rodriguez Hills, Montalban, Rizal, with 1,800 lots.

De Castro also pointed out that there is a bigger inventory of 3,121 lots in the Calauan Resettlement Site in Laguna where the government has earmarked 4,000 lots for relocatees from the Pasig River. He said the rest may be used for those displaced by Ondoy.

This, he said, is in anticipation of the immediate need by the families to be relocated from danger and flood-prone areas. Another option, he added, is the Lungsod Silangan property, with an area of 20,312 hectares, which traverses Rizal, Antipolo, and Montalban.

“The available housing stock that can be offered as relocation site for displaced families by Ondoy is more than enough of what is required,” he said.