Caloocan housing recipients urged to settle debts with NHA

MANILA, Philippines - Caloocan City Mayor Enrico Echiverri yesterday urged the 250 member families of the Bisig ng Kabataan Homeowners Association to settle their arrears with the National Housing Authority (NHA) to realize their dream of having a house to call their own.

Echiverri expressed his concern after Vice President Noli de Castro visited the city recently and awarded land titles to only 102 “fully paid” recipients of the Bisig ng Kabataan whose properties were once part of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) non-core property along Gen. San Miguel Street in Sangandaan, Caloocan City.

The 250 members have only made partial payments, the mayor said.

Barangay 1 chairwoman Ofelia Borja of Bisig Phase 3, one of the recipients of the land title awarded by De Castro, thanked the government “for the opportunity and very reasonable payment terms” given her and the other beneficiaries.

Echiverri said the lots awarded them measured an average of 42 square meters and cost only P1,333 per square meter.

The zonal value, however, is pegged at P3,950 per square meter and “considering the property is located in Caloocan City, the beneficiaries were really very fortunate,” the mayor said.

Echiverri said that apart from the Bisig properties, the PNR also owns other lands intended for socialized housing in Grace Park and Heroes del ’96 with a total land area of 37,828 square meters and valued at around P50 million.

“The awarding did not only change the lives of the beneficiaries. It also gave hope to the homeless low-income families who are now dreaming of owning a house and lot,” Echiverri said. –Pete Laude