Pangasinan farmers laud BALAI housing project

By Hilda Austria  December 15, 2020, 5:52 pm

BALAI HOUSING PROJECT. A prototype of the houses to be built at Barangay Carayungan Sur in Umingan town in Pangasinan under the Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive Filipino Communities Program (BALAI) housing project. The project is the first-ever housing project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) for farmers. (Photo by Hilda Austria)

UMINGAN, Pangasinan – Agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) farmers and their families in this town are excited for the first-ever housing project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) at Barangay Carayungan Sur here.

In an interview on Tuesday, Leonida Lumanak, 65, a resident of Barangay Laurel, said she hopes to be chosen as one of the initial recipients of the Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive Filipino Communities Program (BALAI) housing project since she has been living with her children.

“Gusto ko din ng sariling bahay. Saka itong lugar kung saan itatayo ang mga bahay ay maganda. Nakakarelax. Marami na akong naiisip na gawin dito gaya ng pagtatanim ng mga halaman (I want to have my own house. The location where they will build the houses is very good. It is relaxing. I am already thinking of a lot of things to do here like planting ornamentals),” she said.

The 2.6 hectares of land provided by the local government unit of Umingan through the donation of Mayor Michael Carleone Cruz features the view of Mount Caraballo.

Cruz thanked the national government for the opportunity given to the farmers and their families.

Grace Nuque, 41, also a resident of Barangay Laurel, said her family wanted to have their own house as they are living with their relatives.

“Makakatipid kami sa renta sa bahay at yong renta namin ibabayad na lang namin sa pabahay ng DAR. Mababa din lang ang halaga ng pabahay kaya nagpapasalamat kami sa gobyerno sa programang ito (We will be able to save on rent and the rent we are paying will be allotted for the housing of DAR. The housing cost is affordable so we are very thankful to the national government for the project),” she said in a separate interview.

Nuque’s father Ernesto is a farmer as early as she could remember.

Razil Acosta and her husband also commended the BALAI housing project as it would help them start their own family with a new home as a couple.

Pangasinan 6th district representative Tyrone Agabas lauded the housing project as it is one way of discouraging insurgency in areas, such as Umingan town.

“It is perfect that the project was placed here in our district as it is addressing the root cause of possible insurgency and that is poverty,” he added.

During the ceremonial launching on Tuesday, DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario said each housing unit will have two bedrooms, one toilet complete with electrical and water facilities, as well as tiled floorings and fully painted interior and exterior walls.

“We are building not just houses but a community, where there is water, concrete roads, and near the livelihood of the farmers,” he said, adding the houses will be made of pure concrete thus are earthquake-proof.

Del Rosario said the DHSUD vowed not to construct a substandard housing unit.

There will also be a solar power irrigation system while beneficiaries may opt to have solar panels for their homes, among other services, to be provided in the community.

Each house costs around PHP250,000 to PHP300,000 which will be paid by the farmers in a maximum of 25 years.

Bella Vista of the Ayala Land Inc. allocated PHP80 million for the land development of the area.

“The construction has been started and we hope it will be completed by December 2021. From the initial 184 units, we target to have here 500 units,” del Rosario said.

DAR Secretary John Castriciones said the recipients will be chosen based on the set standard prescribed by the law.

“Among the requirements is that the farmer should be earning not less than PHP10,000 a month or has the capacity to pay,” he said.

Castriciones urged the farmers to not leave the farming industry as DAR, along with other national government agencies, continue to provide services they need to improve their lives.

(PNA)

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1124832