Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Tuesday said that the Housing Ministry has given subsidies to 100,000 people affected by the Feb. 27 earthquake and tsunami, even though the opposition group in Congress questioned the figures.

"I do not understand why it is so difficult for some people to accept that the government can and must fulfill its commitments. That is why, I want to ask all the congressmen (...) that instead of having an attitude that creates obstacles, that blocks solutions... take the other road," Pinera said in a public event.

The total cost of the housing repair and recovery program 2010-2011,

presented in March by the Housing Ministry, was 3.909 billion U.S. dollars, including the delivery of 127,235 subsides.

The earthquake on Feb. 27, measured 8.8 on the Richter scale, killed some 500 people and left some 800,000 homeless.

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