'Poor Cowboys' Get New Homes

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III Friday led the symbolic turnover of 1,500 housing units to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel in Cavite, stressing that these individuals who risk their lives for the sake of the country would no longer be ''poor cowboys'' under the Aquino administration.

The 1,500 housing units - the last tranche of the 21,800 housing units built under the first phase of program in Laguna, Bulacan, Cavite, and Rizal - were turnover in ceremonies held in Ciudad Adelina 2, Barangay Luciano, Trece Martires, Cavite.

Under the program, the housing site should have a school, a livelihood center, a health center, and a police action center.

''Patunay lang ito sa palabra-de-honor ng gobyerno; na hindi nito sinasayang ang tiwala ng publiko [This is proof of the government's word of honor; that we do not waste the trust given to us by the public],'' he said.

With the President during the turnover rites were Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, and Deputy Director General Arturo G. Cacdac, PNP Deputy Chief for Administration who represented Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, PNP chief.

As of now, the government needs to build 4,200 more housing units to accommodate 26,000 applicants.

Aquino added that the National Housing Authority (NHA) is now preparing 31,200 housing units for the second phase of the housing program. Of these, 13,200 units will be in Luzon, 7,000 units in the Visayas, and 11,000 units in Mindanao.

These housing units will be for personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

The NHA is also considering the possibility of expanding the project coverage to AFP and PNP retirees, pending directive from President Aquino.

The housing program is contained under Administrative Order No. 9, directing the NHA to implement a program to address the housing need of low-salaried personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).