BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday distributed the first batch of P91 million in housing assistance to 7,234 typhoon affected families in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, in the amount of more than P36 million.
Lacson admitted that it was a big amount, since Kabankalan City was badly hit by Typhoon Odette in December last year.
Each family of typhoon victims whose houses were destroyed got P5,000 each, Lacson, who was assisted by Mayor Pedro Zayco and Board Member Jeffrey Tubola in the distribution of housing assistance in four clustered areas of Kabankalan City, said.
Due to budget constraints, Lacson said Kabankalan City, which was among the badly hit among local government units in southern Negros, was unable to avail of the P50 million housing assistance from the provincial government early this year.
So, they were the first LGU in the province to avail of financial assistance from the National Housing Authority, as facilitated by the provincial government, he added.
The release of NHA assistance was delayed to the election ban, Lacson said.
The P50 million roofing assistance was earlier availed by typhoon victims in Hinobaan, Sipalay City, Cauayan, Ilog, Isabela and Hinigaran.
Lacson is slated to distribute similar housing assistance to typhoon victims in cities of Cadiz and Victorias today, and Ilog on June 3.
Negros Occidental received P91 million in assistance from the NHA.
Tubola, on the other hand, disclosed that owners of partially damaged and destroyed houses also availed of P3,000 and P4,000 financial assistance, respectively, from the city government of Kabankalan City.*
