Soldiers under the Army's 87th Infantry Battalion (IB) are building additional seven houses for former New People's Army (NPA) rebels in San Jose de Buan, Samar under the Saad nga Balay (promised housing) project. The seven houses are in addition to the 10 completed units funded by the provincial government. Of the new houses, six are financed by the local government while one is funded through the donation of Senator Robinhood Padilla. 'The ongoing construction of seven new houses marks a significant milestone in the government's initiative to reintegrate former rebels into peaceful communities and assist them in rebuilding their lives. These houses are designed to offer safe and decent living conditions, complete with essential facilities to ensure comfort for the beneficiaries and their families,' the 87th IB said in a statement on Tuesday. Construction of the Saad Nga Balay started on Aug. 18, 2023 and turnover of initial completed houses was on April 6, 2024. The project was conceptualized by the Ar my's 801st Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Lenart Lelina. The provincial government allocated PHP2.5 million while the municipal government set aside PHP1.5 million for the project. The housing project is located within the 3.4-hectare property of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Each unit has two bedrooms and one bathroom, with a half-concrete and half-amakan or sawali (woven split-bamboo mats) design. Army engineers developed the housing site and designed the houses. The military is eyeing to complete all additional houses within the year. The project aims to provide a safe, secure, and decent home for the former rebels with livelihood opportunities, and to facilitate their integration into mainstream society. It is also expected to encourage NPA members and supporters to surrender and avail themselves of the benefits being offered by the government so that they can experience living in peace and without fear. Since 2020, several active NPA members and staunch allies in the town have yielded to authorities and turned over firearms. The fourth-class San Jose de Buan town with a population of nearly 8,000 is one of the NPA's strongholds in Samar Island, considering its strategic location within the tri-boundaries of Northern, Eastern, and Samar provinces. Source: Philippines News Agency