The National Housing Authority (NHA) has allocated PHP20 million to build a concrete footbridge for those living in houses on stilts in one of the siege-affected barangays.

The recipient of the concrete footbridge project is Barangay Rio Hondo, one of the five most-affected barangays in the 2013 Zamboanga siege.

Rodrigo Pagotaisidro, City Housing and Land Management Division chief, said Saturday they are just waiting for the NHA to download the funds to the City Engineer’s Office, which is in charge of the implementation of the project.

The concrete footbridge will replace the existing wooden footbridge leading to the houses on stilts in Barangay Rio Hondo.

Pagotaisidro said the construction of a concrete footbridge is imperative to avert a repeat of an accident wherein government and NHA officials fell into the murky water as the wooden bridge collapsed.

The officials, Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, then 1st district Congressman Celso Lobregat, Negros Occidental Congressman Alfredo Benitez, NHA and other officials were conducting an inspection on April 26, 2018, when the wooden footbridge collapsed.

Pagotaisidro said the City Engineer’s Office will start the work once the NHA will release the PHP20 million allocation.

Meanwhile, he said the wooden footbridge will be rehabilitated by the City Engineer’s Office while awaiting the release of the funds. (PNA)