JOLO, Sulu, Philippines – The National Housing Authority (NHA) is set to construct at least 160 houses of uniform style and size at a 50,000-square meter lot in Butan, bordering this town and the municipality of Indanan.

Rep. Habib Tupay Loong (1st District, Sulu) said the NHA will construct the new houses for the poor people of this town, costing the agency about P16 million.

According to Loong, the NHA is practically forming a new community in this town which is located in Butan, at a cost of about P100,000 per unit.

In a related development, NHA Director Alma Valenciano led top government officials in a groundbreaking ceremony early this month for the implementation of 40 houses for the fire victims in Barangay Walled City, this town.

The construction of the said housing units immediately started after the delivery of supplies and equipment to the project site.

Earlier, NHA General Manager Chito Cruz released some P5 million to jumpstart the construction of the 40 houses in Barangay Walled City.

The District Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here had been tasked to undertake and supervise the construction of the houses, Loong said.

According to Loong, the project was made possible through the collective efforts of his office, Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, and Jolo Mayor Hussin Amin.

He said Cruz guaranteed him that the amount of P20 million has been set aside by NHA to finance the construction of the houses in this capital town.

In another development, the Persons with Disabilities Affairs Unit (PDAU) of Zamboanga City is preparing for a series of activities in line with the celebration of the 33rd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week.

The NDPR is set to be celebrated next month from July 17 to July 23.

The PDAU is a component unit of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) under Francisco Barredo, which is tasked to look into the affairs of the physically challenged sector in Zamboanga City pursuant to City Ordinance 354, such as overseeing the activities to be carried out in relevant celebration and observance like the NDPR.

Barredo said this year’s celebration with the theme “Making the Rights for Filipinos with Disabilities” aims to stimulate awareness on disability issues and concerns that will strengthen the involvement of government and
non-government organizations (NGOs) including self-help organizations or persons with disabilities, academe, professional groups and societies, local government units (LGUs), business sector, media, and other entities of the society.

Barredo said the celebration also aims to serve as the vehicle of information of programs implemented by government and NGOs that adhere to the promotion of the inherent rights of persons with disabilities, to encourage the Filipino citizens to take active responsibility on the upliftment of the economic and social conditions of the persons with disabilities, and to develop and strengthen cooperation and partnership between and among various sectors of the society for understanding issues and concerns on disability.

Zamboanga is the first city in Region 9 to have established the PDAU, according to Barredo.

Since the administration of Mayor Ma. Maria Clara Lobregat up to the present leadership of Mayor Celso Lobregat, the city government of Zamboanga have been very supportive to the PWDs in the area which are organized through a group called “Katipunan ng may Kapansanan sa Zamboanga” (KAMZA) with Moises Carreon as its founder.

In the same development, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a memorandum addressing all local government executives to observe the said celebration through but not limited to: Hanging of streamers in conspicuous places relative to the event; Holy Mass celebration; jobs fair; cultural show; poster making contest for PWDs; family fun day for PWDs; medical/dental mission; livelihood exhibits; and access to local radio and television programs.