Nearly 7,000 AFP-PNP housing units remain unoccupied

In the aftermath of the war in the southern City of Marawi, President Rodrigo Duterte promised housing units to wounded soldiers and policemen and to the families left by government combatants who died in the 5-month battle.

The President said these will be improved units, much better than the box-type row houses built under the housing program for the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in the previous years.

In the proposed 2018 national budget, the AFP-PNP housing program gets the lion’s share of the budget of the National Housing Authority with P1.6 billion — a whopping 72 percent of the housing agency’s total budget. 

Duterte is not the only president to prioritize the housing need of the men in uniform.

Former President Benigno Aquino III signed in 2011 an administrative order that established the “AFP-PNP Housing Project” and directed the NHA as the lead agency.  Low salaried personnel were the intended beneficiaries of this project.

The NHA has reported that nearly 64,000 housing units all over the country have been built under this program.   

However, GMA News Research has found that at least six projects built under the AFP-PNP Housing Project has nearly 7,000 units lying idle and unused for years in different parts of the country. Some have finished construction since 2012.

Government funds allocated to these housing projects amount to at least P2 billion.

No occupancy, low occupancy

If you build it, they will come. But this has not been true for thousands of government housing units.

GMA News Research combed through the annual reports of the Commission on Audit on the NHA and identified more than 15 housing projects under the AFP-PNP housing programs that came under scrutiny for low occupancy or non-occupancy.

Out of this number, GMA News Research verified at least five housing projects that are completely unoccupied and one project that has an occupancy rate of only 4 percent.

The total cost allocated for these housing projects amounted to Php 2.03 Billion. Of this amount, the NHA has disbursed Php 1.7 billion.

Two projects — Kagitingan Heights in Pagadian City and in Hermosa Ville in Hermosa, Bataan — continue to be unoccupied because the units have not yet been awarded to the AFP or PNP. 

NHA Architect Susana Nonato, who heads the AFP-PNP Housing Program, said these projects had to undergo revalidation or a reassignment of units.

“Minsan kasi ang target mo, based on the Memorandum of Agreement is 1,500 pero ang puwede lang gamitin ay 1,350, just like in Kagitingan (Heights),” Nonato said. 

In Hermosa Ville, the number for available housing units decreased from 1,230 to 1,000.

Because of the change in the number of units, Nonato explained that  NHA has to inspect and verify the completed housing projects before it allows the AFP Housing Board and PNP Engineering Service to raffle off the housing units to applicants. 

The reduction in the number of housing units to be awarded meant that the respective housing boards of the PNP and the AFP will have to repeat the process of raffle of qualified applicants.

As early as 2014, the COA issued a notice to the NHA about Kagitingan Heights. In its 2014 audit, COA said that the1,350 intended beneficiaries have been deprived of decent and affordable housing units because of the delay in occupancy.

Kagitingan Heights has been unoccupied for more than three years. NHA allocated Php 409 Million for this project. 

Lilibeth Villahermosa, caretaker of the project, said, “Sa kadugayon diri, nangawala ang mga jalousie, bowl, lababo. [Sa katagalan dito, nawala na ang mga jalousie, (toilet) bowl, lababo.]” She reported that some housing units have already been ransacked by outsiders.

Hermosa Ville, located in the municipality of Hermosa in Bataan, holds about 1,000 vacant units for soldiers and policemen. This housing project is right beside a relocation project built for informal settlers.

In March, Mayor Jopet Inton sounded the alarm about the vacant housing projects in his town.  Inton said his office has been trying to get in touch with NHA to give updates on the status of these housing units.

“Hindi ko rin magalaw kasi sa PNP. So hindi ko alam, hanggang ngayon, white elephant. Nasisira na yung mga units,”the Hermosa mayor said.

In GMA News’ interview with Architect Nonato, she did not give a specific date when the project will be finally awarded. Government allotted P336 million for Hermosa Ville.

The other three AFP-PNP projects have been awarded to beneficiaries, yet have remained unoccupied: Mountain Breeze Residences in Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon, Sea Breeze Residences in Ibaan Batangas and Guardian Hills in South Cotabato. 

These projects have a total of 3,705 awardees or recipients of the units.

Guardian Hills in General Santos City has 1,200 vacant units. The PNP Engineering Office reports they have already raffled off 100 percent of the units apportioned to them.

The awardees have not accepted the units because after the inspection of NHA, it turned out that the units still require rectification work.

Unlike the five totally unoccupied housing projects, San Benito Plains in Aringay, La Union has been partly occupied.

The place, however, is almost like a ghost town with only 36 awardees from the AFP and the PNP opting to move in — a mere 4 percent of the 880 completed units.

Bare units: no doors, windows, no utility connection

One of the beneficiaries complained about the state of the unit assigned to him. He said he visited his unit in June and found it without doors, windows, sink and toilet bowl.

He refused to be named for fear that he would lose the unit assigned to him.
He sent a photo of his unit, but GMA News Research will not name the housing project to protect the identity of the source.

The photo shows a bare structure that has little resemblance to a residential unit: just the four walls, the ceiling and roof, with wide, gaping holes presumably for doors and windows. In the picture, this structure was surrounded by overgrown grass.

“Lahat siguro ng awardee parehas kami ng sitwasyon. Mahirap tirhan yung bahay, baka habang natutulog ka bumagsak sa iyo,” he said in a written exchange. 

Despite this, he still signified his approval by signing a document called “Certificate of Inspection and Acceptance of Completed Unit” given by the developer of the project.

Then the source said he was worried that if he refused to sign, his unit will be awarded to other applicants.

GMA News Research showed the photo and the signed document to the NHA program head.

“Ganyan lang talaga yan,” Architect  Nonato said, noting the image without surprise. She said the fixtures will be installed once the awardees indicate to the developer that they are ready to occupy their unit. It should take about 10 to 15 days, Nonato said.

But five months after the source signed the acceptance document, no fixtures nor any improvement has been done to his unit. 

Mela Sarip, wife of a housing awardee in Mountain Breeze in Bukidnon, has long looked forward to moving in to their new house. She said they are willing to pay in full, because her husband has already retired as a policeman. 

Mountain Breeze, however, has yet to have a water connection. 

“Pag punta namin sa water district, hindi sila magpakabit ng tubig, kasi ung mga water pipe connection nila ay hindi pumasa sa water district,” Sarip said in an interview with GMA News. “Ang advise sa water district, substandard yung water connection.” 

Architect Nonato said these problems should have been reported to the regional NHA offices concerned.

“Pag may ganung issue, please inform us so we can coordinate by phone,”she said. 

While NHA does not guarantee installation of water and electrical lines before awardees transfer, it promises to help in the application for  power and water lines with the local electric cooperatives or water districts. 

The agency has allotted funds for the application of water and power lines.

“Sabihin lang naman na mag-occupy na, then we will be the one to apply,” Nonato said. “Pipirma lang sila doon sa form ng Meralco, or to the cooperative or to the water district. Kasama yun doon sa kumbaga tawagin namin, benefits nila.”    

From GMA News Research’s communication with the awardees, many are very hesitant to air their complaints for fear of losing the units awarded to them. They are afraid that the unit will be raffled off to somebody else if they speak against the housing projects.

Only P200 per month

All of these housing units are part of Phase II of NHA’s AFP-PNP Housing program. For that phase of the program, housing awardees will pay a monthly amortization of Php 200.00 for a 40-square meter house and lot. Based on the terms of the housing projects, the awardee gets a box-type row house.

Total cost of each housing unit, including the cost of the lot, is P240,000 but NHA has provided a Php 35,000 discount.  In sum, each awardee will pay P205,000 for a unit in a span of 30 years.

An awardee in active duty has to pay P500 per month for the first five years. It becomes P1,000 per month for the succeeding years until year 30. Awardees, however, are required to pay the full amount before they retire.  

Nonato said most awardees are hesitant to transfer because they will need some money for house improvement.

“Core lang kasi yung binibigay naming na puede nilang iimprove para maging two- storey,” she said. “Pag meron na silang Php25 to Php30,000 puede nang palitan ang pinto, lagyan ng grills, babakuran.”

Unused, neglected

Because  most of the houses have been unoccupied and unattended for years, the units are already showing signs of degradation.

Local officials in the sites of these housing projects have expressed concern about the seemingly abandoned houses.

Barangay captain Marsevic Mendoza, local chief of  Barangay Talaibon in Ibaan, observed of the Sea Breeze housing project:  “Basag na po yung mga jalousie, doorknob. Nanghihinayang ako walang nakatira, nasisira lang yung ginawa. Dinaanan kami ng typhoon, nagiba po yung mga bubong.”

Mendoza said only one caretaker has been assigned to guard the entire housing project with 1,388 units. He said local officials were worried that members of Kadamay will break into these units. 

Junidini Artajo, barangay captain of Barangay Alae in Manalo Fortich, aired the same concerns about Mountain Breeze Residences.

The place has been vandalized, Artajo said. “Yung iba, mayroon ng nasirang jalousie. May mga batang naglalaro, nababasag ung iba,” he added.

In General Santos City, unoccupied Guardian Hills has suffered the same neglect. 

“Pag nakita mo ung project nila, basag-basag na ang salamin. Yung mga damo, nagsitubuan na, napabayaan ba,”said Barangay Captain Jerry Jugarap of Bawing, General Santos City.  

Architect Nonato said the security and maintenance of the housing project is the responsibility of the developer. “The developer will undertake the repair of the unit, prior to occupancy,” she said. 

However, once the unit has been awarded and accepted by the awardee, the job of securing the housing unit falls on the new owner. Said Nonato, “Once they accepted the unit, bahala na sila… Ibibigay ang susi sa kanila.”

Not forced to move in

Nonato said NHA has asked the AFP and PNP to expedite the process of assigning the awardees to the units.

However, NHA clarified that it cannot force the awardees to move in. “Formal earner itong mga ito, talagang gusto nila magkabahay,” Nonato explained. The members of the AFP and PNP are unlike the informal settlers who are forced to relocate into assigned units, she said.

Still, those who have accepted the unit and are paying for amortization must show commitment to eventually move in. 

“Meron silang commitment with the AFP housing board na  dapat i-occupy nila. If not occupied for a certain period, kina-cancel and they award to other parties who are willing to (move,) ”Nonato said.   

Despite criticisms about the occupancy of these housing projects, Nonato noted that most of the completed housing units in fact are already owned by corresponding beneficiaries. Some of the awardees, she said, are already paying amortization of the unit. 

Nonato said that beneficiaries look forward to their retirement when they can finally live in the houses awarded to them. “Meron nga tumatawag sa akin, ma’am andito ako sa Marawi, yung bahay ko dyano ha. Para pagbalik nila, di ba?  Preference nila iyon eh, inawardan, tapos nagbabayad naman.”   — with Jamaica Jane Pascual, GMA News Research/RSJ