3,000 Renovation Workers for Flood-Affected Homes on Indonesia-Philippines Border
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A total of 1,000 uninhabitable homes (RTLH) in the Siau Tagulandang Biaro Islands Regency (Sitaro), North Sulawesi, an Indonesian-Filipino border area, are targeted for renovation this year following the devastating floods that struck the region.
Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait, known as Ara, along with Interior Minister Tito Karnavian and Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, directly inspected the disaster-affected settlements in Sitaro on Friday (10/4/2026).
During the visit, Ara emphasised that the home renovation programme is part of the government’s response to the housing conditions of residents impacted by the disaster, as well as an effort to tackle the high poverty rates in the area.
She added that the home renovation programme will soon commence, involving a large number of local workers.
“Starting from Wednesday (15/4/2026), the home renovation process will begin. The construction of these 1,000 housing units will involve around 3,000 artisans. In addition to providing decent housing for residents, this programme will also create employment opportunities for the local community,” she added.
Meanwhile, Tito stated that the Self-Help Housing Stimulus Assistance (BSPS) programme represents the tangible presence of the state in improving the quality of life for the community, particularly in island and outermost regions.
“President Prabowo not only pays attention to residents in big cities but also in underdeveloped and outermost areas like Sitaro. This demonstrates the spirit of nationalism and justice that the state is truly present for all Indonesian people,” Tito said.
BPS Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti added that BPS’s involvement in the programme aims to ensure that assistance is delivered accurately based on reliable data.
“We ensure that the aid recipients are those who truly need it, so that this programme can have a maximum impact on improving community welfare,” Amalia explained.