What is NHA-Mindanao doing for Mindanao?
The National Housing Authority, under the strong leadership of NHA General Manager Atty. Chito M. Cruz and the active manpower staff of the Mindanao Management Office are one in realizing its vision of providing sustainable housing projects and sources to homeless and low-income families in Mindanao attuned to its culture.
As a backgrounder, the presence of NHA in Mindanao dates back to the late 70s when the Andam Mouswag Resettlement Project in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental was implemented by the Inter-Agency Task Force under the Office of the Project. This project was later on dissolved and placed under the aegis of NHA in 1975.
Also, the Slum Improvement Program or SIR – under the 2nd Urban Development Package of World Bank-IBRD was piloted in Cagayan de Oro and Davao cities in 1977, which then enabled and expanded NHA's operations to just two cities into five (5) regional offices at present, and 13 district offices but with limited 130 staff.
According to statistics, the number of informal settlers in Mindanao has reached 153, 589 families or 11% of the total 1.408 million ISFs all over the country.
And with the poverty incidence report of the National Statistics Coordination Board or NSCB in 2006, six poorest provinces in Mindanao where NHA is present include: Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Maguindanao, Surigao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Misamis Occidental.
Also, the Mindanao Economic Development Council or MEDCO, assessed that the infrastructure development there has achieved a modest extent but still remains underdeveloped due to lack of public funds. There is also an interlocking relationship between political and social unrest which result in severe poverty, limited access to social services and where per capita income is lowest.
The different regions that cover NHA Mindanao are REGION IX – Zamboanga del Norte and Sur, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay; REGION X-Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Iligan City, Misamis Occidental and Oriental and Cagayan de Oro City; REGION XI – Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte and Sur, Davao City, Davao Oriental; REGION XII – North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat; REGION XIII – Agusan del Norte and Sur and lastly the ARMM which comprises Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Sulu.
What then has NHA in Mindanao set to ease, lessen, if not to end homelessness? Where there will be provision of culture – attuned, sustainable adequate shelter and related services? Where security of tenure and sustained partnership with LGUs, NGOs and other multi-stakeholders can be achieved? Where funds can be adequately sustained and collection efficiency can be increased to at least 80%? Where competent and empowered manpower compliment can be provided to attain some of the basic goals which need to be instilled, sustained and maintained to bring out the best in these projects in Mindanao?
These are not far-fetched goals… they are realizable, doable and can be resolved in the very near future with the support of the national government, the Mindanaoans and the various communities involved, including the Pos, NGOs and the military.
As what NHA GM Cruz had said earlier, during his brief meeting with the Western Mindanao students from Zamboanga, "Budget for Mindanao projects had been increased remarkably for this year to ensure implementation of infrastructure projects and integrated development programs and services to the people".
Here's a glimpse of what NHA has accomplished and is still doing so far, in that part of the region- Mindanao in 2010:
REGION |
COMPLETED |
ON-GOING |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
IX |
48 |
14,108 |
9 |
1,932 |
x |
93 |
27,911 |
19 |
2,224 |
XI |
58 |
31,501 |
8 |
1,239 |
XII |
64 |
15,586 |
12 |
3,011 |
XIII |
87 |
29,608 |
11 |
1,528 |
TOTAL |
350 |
118,714 |
59 |
9,934 |
There's more to what we need to address in Mindanao…
We need to put our act together to bring back and sustain the beauty and splendor of Mindanao, it being the land of promise, teeming with vast, rich natural resources, fertile lands, virgin forests and bountiful produce…
Keep moving, Mindanao!
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