DILG questioned over funds for housing

MANILA -- The House Committee on Appropriations questioned the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) over the allocation of shelter funds in its proposed budget for 2014. The DILG has a budget of close to P100 billion for next year, an P8-billion increase from the 2013 budget. Navotas Congressman Toby Tiangco questioned a P500-million allocation for temporary shelter to 23,000 informal settler families, saying that the National Housing Authority (NHA) should be the sole agency in charge of providing shelter. Tiangco added there was an increase in the budget for access to potable water in communities, a task which belongs to the Local Water Utilities Authority. But DILG Secretary Mar Roxas argued he was just following the President's instructions. -- ANC