ILOILO City – The housing program of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is a big help to the city government’s effort to reduce its housing backlogs.
This was emphasized by Mayor Jerry Treñas during the groundbreaking for the Uswag Residential Complex in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro district on Sept. 30.
Treñas said the city has more than 15,000 housing backlogs.
The city already needs around 2,700 housing units to relocate informal settlers residing along the Jaro and Batiano rivers and in Barangay San Pedro alone, he revealed.
“So sa dira pa lang kadaku na sang kinahanglan ta,” said Treñas.
To further address the problem, the mayor said the city is also in the process of procuring an additional eight hectares of land in Barangay Tacas, Jaro and Barangay Baluarte, Molo for possible relocation sites.
“That will give us a total of eight hectares nga pwede mahatag sa housing. Either ang city ma-develop or together with DHSUD or NHA (National Housing Authority),” said Treñas.
Yesterday’s ceremony was graced by no less than DHSUD secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar, Treñas, Cong. Julienne Baronda, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, other city officials, and representatives from Pag-IBIG.
According to Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) chief Roy Firmeza, an initial two 10-storey buildings with a total of 700 housing units will rise on the almost three-hectare site under the DHSUD housing program.
The figure is on top of the four five-storey buildings with a total of 240 units that will also rise on the site under the NHA housing program.
Firmeza noted that the city government earlier broke ground for four residential low-rise buildings, which were realized through the efforts of former senator Franklin Drilon, the city government, and NHA.
“Ang ini nga three hectares kon sigehon naton adoptar ining standard sang DHSUD nga MRB (medium-rise building) of 10-storey, maka-generate kita diri up to 3,700 condo units,” Firmeza said.
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 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 1 and a half kasi tatapusin ang documentation para sa funding,” said Acuzar./PN
