ILOILO City – More Ilonggos will be provided with decent and safe homes through a two 10-storey condominium project dubbed as the Uswag Township Development in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro district.
The project, with a total of 700 housing units that the city government and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) broke ground on Sept. 30, is part of the massive housing program of the national government across the country.
Mayor Jerry Treñas, who led the groundbreaking and capsule-laying together with DHSUD secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar, expressed his appreciation for the city’s inclusion as beneficiary of the program.
“On behalf of the residents of Iloilo City and city officials, I welcome this project. Iloilo City is very happy to partner with the DHSUD for this project,” Treñas told Acuzar.
Aside from Barangay San Isidro, another medium to high-rise tenement with amenities will also be erected at the city’s 2.2-hectare property in Fort San Pedro, City Proper, also through the DHSUD.
The city mayor stressed that DHSUD housing program is a big help in the city’s effort to combat the increasing urban housing problem. The city has over 15,000 housing backlog, he revealed.
Based on the tagging done by the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) alone, there are nearly 3,000 households residing in riverbanks such as those of the Jaro and Batiano rivers and in the city’s property in Barangay San Pedro, Molo district. They need relocation.
Treñas said they will be prioritized because they are living in danger zone areas.
The almost three-hectare property of the city government in Barangay San Isidro will also host four low-rise buildings (with a combined 240 units in total) of the National Housing Authority (NHA), a project facilitated by former Ilonggo senator Franklin Drilon. It will be called “Uswag Residential Complex housing project.”
Treñas announced during the groundbreaking that the construction of this NHA housing project will start this week.
Aside from this, Mayor Treñas noted that the NHA will also be starting very soon another housing project – the P300-million Iloilo City People’s Residences being pushed by Cong. Julienne Baronda.
To recall, also late last year, the city government teamed up with SM Development Corp., a leading real estate developer in the country, and DHSUD for the Uswag Low-Rise Residential Building, also in Barangay San Isidro. The project benefits low-salaried local government employees.
The mayor said the city government is also in the process of procuring an additional eight hectares of land in Barangay Tacas, Jaro and Barangay Baluarte, Molo for more housing projects.
“That will give us a total of eight hectares pwede for housing. Either ang city ma-develop or together with DHSUD or NHA (National Housing Authority),” said Treñas.
The housing and residential developments, especially for indigent Ilonggos, is one of the priority programs of Treñas. It is embedded in his WHEELS (Welfare, Health and Sanitation, Education, Environmental Management, Livelihood, and Sustainability) for inclusive development and good governance program under Welfare.
“As the local executive of the city, I can’t be more excited for what is in store for the Ilonggos in the next few years. I look forward to more development projects like this,” said Treñas.
Acuzar, on the other hand, hailed Treñas’ political will and passion in carrying out his job as city mayor.
“Mayor Trenas, nakakabilib kayo. Bihira ako makakita nga passionate sa trabaho. Ang maraming LGU kwentuhan lang kami pero hindi sila passionate. Si Mayor makikia mo sa kanya na naiintindihan lahat ang aming pinag-uusapan na pabahay,” said Acurzar.
Meanwhile, according to Acuzar, it’s up to the local government unit to identify the beneficiaries of the housing project. The management of the project, once done, will also be under the city government.
Acuzar said they are expecting to start the project soon or depending on the local government unit.
“Ang tingin ko po in a month’s time, one month or one and a half, kasi tatapusin ang documentation para sa funding,” said Acuzar.
Friday last week’s groundbreaking ceremony was graced by no less than the DHSUD secretary, Treñas, Baronda, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, other city officials, and representatives from Pag-IBIG Fund.
DHSUD earlier said they were beefing up stakeholders’ engagement to promote President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s housing program in the Visayas.
Part of the administration’s priority is addressing the more than 6.5 million housing backlog, including the estimated at 3.7 million informal settler families throughout the country.
Most of the local leaders committed to support the housing blueprint of the Marcos administration and expressed their readiness to allot land resources for the development of new project sites, including turning esteros into parks and walkways to help in the restoration and rehabilitation of waterways./PN
