Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro has said that there is no shortage of available relocation sites for the families displaced by storm Ondoy.

De Castro made the assurance even after he instructed the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC) to facilitate the generation of additional house and lots within the next two months in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal. The said lots are all HGC properties.

“The President is in constant touch and has instructed me to make available housing stock at the soonest possible time,” De Castro said.

De Castro, who is also the concurrent chairman of Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), stressed that concerned government agencies will have to determine first the priority list of families for transfer.

“We cannot just relocate families. We have to give them options and choices, however, limited these choices are. That is why I am looking at areas first which I think will be acceptable to the affected families and through the LGUs and NHA,” De Castro said.

According to De Castro the properties in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal will generate 2,613 serviced lots with housing units not only to families displaced by Ondoy but also those in danger areas, such as river banks, creeks, and esteros that need to be relocated.

The Vice President earlier identified sites within the existing rail relocation communities which are ready for occupancy, the inventory of serviced lots that would require construction of core houses, and other sites that could undergo programmed and phased development.

“This set of inventory will accommodate the second batch of families who will be prioritized for relocation. As you can see, we are currently processing the transfer of the first set of families who need immediate relocation to our sites in Laguna and Bulacan. We have about 2,400 units in these sites ready for occupancy,” De Castro added.

De Castro also extended gratitude to the local government heads of Sta. Rosa, Biñan, Calauan, and Rodriguez, Rizal for accommodating displaced families from Metro Manila, even as they themselves have families rendered homeless by the typhoon.