1st Z3R project in Martha turned over

1st Z3R project in

Martha turned over

ZAMBOANGA CITY (ZNS) - Eleven months after they were forcibly evacuated to safer grounds, residents of Martha Drive in Sta. Catalina finally returned to their permanent houses, making them the first batch of beneficiaries of the Zamboanga City Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) project.

This, as Mayor Beng Climaco with representatives from the National Housing Authority (NHA) and cluster leads spearheaded the turnover of 42 duplex housing units to Martha Drive Homeowners Association Inc. at Martha in Sta. Catalina on Saturday, August 30.

The ceremony was in fulfilment of President Aquino’s commitment in his state of the nation address (SONA) that residents of Martha Drive will return to their permanent homes by the end of August.

In fact, Mayor Climaco said the president complied his promise a day before the deadline, end of August, which is today, August 31. “Let us thank President Aquino for this opportunity. You are the first witness and recipients of the permanent housing .”

Climaco also thanked the Almighty for protecting and guiding the city always and for making all things possible.

She assured the Martha residents that the local government will do everything possible to facilitate the implementation of the Z3R projects, which are undertaken by national government agencies.

To follow after the Martha HOAI is the Paniran housing project which is set for turnover next week.

The Martha Drive, Sta. Catalina project is dubbed as the Rehabilitation of Martha Drive HOA and cost the government a total of P9.18 million. It is undertaken by the Nurben Engineering and Building Construction with a construction period of 120 days. It started July 5, 2014 and was set for completion on Nov. 1, 2014.

Of the total 44 units targeted for construction, only 42 were turned over initially as the two other lots are being utilized as warehouse and the other site for construction materials. The remaining two units however will be completed in the coming weeks.

NHA Supervising Engineer Reynaldo Bolay-og, the property was a land tenurial assistance project way back in Dec. 14, 1998 with a total of 53 members. Following audit procedures, 3 of the total 53 were without houses and 6 opted for home material assistance.

Martha HOAI President Dennis Sta. Ana said most if not all of the members of the association grew up in the area and have been through a lot since they established residence there. “We made our dreams and our lives here, but with what happened, everything was shattered.  But God is good because God didn’t abandon us. We were given hope which resemble in the form of houses.”

“With these houses, we can start anew and continue building our dreams”, Sta. Anna added.

Mayor Climaco together with City Planning and Development Officer Rodrigo Sicat and Housing Division Chief Rodrigo Pagotaisidro turned over the keys to the individual house owners during the ceremonies held in the area yesterday. She later led the ceremonial opening of House number 1.

Sta. Catalina chairman Jimmy Villaflores led the homeowners in accepting the keys to the houses.

Also present during the ceremony were Lorna Plata, NHA-Mindanao Management Office program head, the contractor, representatives from Zamcelco, water district and other agencies. (Sheila Covarrubias) (090914)