ILOILO City – Providing shelter for homeless residents and informal settlers is a priority, too, of the city government. It believes this will help bring progress to the metro.
Housing is embedded in Mayor Jerry Treñas’ roadmap for inclusive development and good governance called WHEELS (Welfare, Health and Sanitation, Education, Environmental Management, Livelihood, and Sustainability).
To achieve this, the city government is practicing land banking – acquiring parcels of land for low-rise housing developments with the goal of providing affordable, safe and durable houses to the homeless with the help of the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD).
“Gin-reposition naton ang aton socialized housing program, seeing to it kon ano man nga opportunities ma-embrace naton. That’s why naga-land banking kita,” said Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office head Roy Firmeza.
One of the city government’s housing projects is the Uswag Residential Complex on a three-hectare land in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro district. Eighteen low-rise buildings will be constructed, each with 60 housing units for a total of 1,080.
Four of these 18 low-rise housing buildings already have funding through the General Appropriations Act worked out by then senator Franklin Drilon and to be implemented by the NHA. The target beneficiaries are those living in danger zones.
Two more low-rise buildings are to be funded through DSHUD. These are part of the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino: Zero ISF Program for 2028” of the national government.
Firmeza said included in these projects is the development, too, of the surrounding areas to make the resettlement communities more livable.
The development would include water surface management that would address flooding, access roads with sidewalks, transport hub, solar-powered streetlights, and rainwater harvesting facility, among others.
“Indi lang ang resettlement sites ang maga-avail sini but also the adjacent private subdivisions and residences. With this concept of development – the township, human settlement approach – ma-alleviate man ang ila mga problema. Ang long-term effect nga ginatan-aw naton, maka-develop sang access nga makalikaw ka gawa sa traffic-congested area. Second, we will have another convergence area closer to the center of Jaro. Third, the social aspect – daw wala na bala division. It doesn’t matter kon taga-relocation ka or taga-private subdivision ka. You belong to one township, one human settlement,” Firmeza said.
A medium- to high-rise tenement with amenities will also be erected on the city government’s 2.2-hectare property in Fort San Pedro, City Proper, also through the DHSUD.
Firmeza said 12 remaining buildings in the Uswag Residential Complex are still available for funding.
In a separate property also in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, the city government is also building 120 socialized condominium units for its low-salaried employees. This project is in partnership with SM Development Corporation. The budget came from the 15 percent of the housing balance compliance of SMDC nationwide.
Aside from these, Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda also facilitated another housing project – the Iloilo City People’s Residences in Barangay Tabuc Suba, Jaro. This will have five low-rise buildings with 300 housing units, and funded by the NHA. These are for those displaced by the infrastructure projects of the city government such as road expansions.
Mayor Treñas said the city government is procuring an additional eight hectares of land in Barangay Tacas, Jaro and Barangay Baluarte, Molo district for more housing projects.
“The city government endeavors to achieve progress that benefits all sectors. We are making sure no one is left behind,” said Treñas./PN
