ILOILO City – The 300 families displaced by the Jan. 28 fire in Molo district may return to the fire site and rebuild their houses.
However, according to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the houses should only be temporary or not concrete while waiting for the permanent housing units for them which will be constructed right at the site.
“Kon maobra naman to sila semento, anhon ta ‘na abi kon mag-abot na ang mga housing units ta,” said Treñas.
The Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO) will come up with a program that will guide the fire victims build their temporary houses using the financial assistance they received.
So far, each family received a total of P15,000 cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) upon the request of the offices of senators Bong Go and Imee Marcos and House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Treñas noted that on top of the P15,000, the Iloilo City Government will also be giving another P10,000 financial assistance and Iloilo City’s Rep. Julienne Baronda is also facilitating additional P5,000 cash assistance from the National Housing Authority (NHA).
To note, the city government will be buying the 1.3-hectare property where the fire transpired. It will be converted into a low-rise condominium housing project through the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
The Iloilo City Council during its special session on Jan. 31, already authorized Treñas to enter and sign the Term Loan Agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines and Iloilo City Government for a loan in the amount of P200 million to be utilized for lot acquisition intended for socialized housing programs of the city government.
The Layson family, owner of the 1.3-hectare property, is willing to sell their land to the city government for the latter to transform into a housing project for the fire victims.
Treñas noted that the Layson family will make an offer for the property which the appraisal committee will review.
“We are going to build low-rise buildings so that they will have decent housing units. Once we procure the land, we are partnering already with DHSUD. They will be constructing low-rise housing buildings,” said Treñas.
He noted that eight low-rise buildings with 60 housing units each are eyed to be built for the fire victims as well as for the informal settlers within the area.
“Sa 1.3-hectare, indi tanan ang nasunogan. Ang tanan nga ara dira dal-on sa scheme bisan waay nasunogan para ma-maximize ta ang use sang property,” he added.
The Jan. 28 predawn fire’s damage reached P4.748 million, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection.
Meantime, the city government is currently doing land banking as preparation for more housing projects.
Part of the P200-million loan of the city government will also be used to buy properties in Barangay Tacas, Jaro and Barangay East Baluarte, Molo.
Based on the inventory, the city needs about 15,000 housing units for all informal settlers. Initially, the ICUPAO has identified 2,000 informal settler families as priority. They are living along Iloilo River, Batiano River and other properties of the city government./PN
