By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas emphasized the urgent need for more socialized housing programs in response to the increasing number of natural calamities that threaten the city and expose residents to hazards.
“We really need to build more socialized housing,” Treñas said during a press conference.
He noted that the need became more apparent after the recent heavy rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon, which mostly affected families living in coastal and disaster-prone areas.
The city government is considering expanding its socialized housing initiatives, with beneficiaries paying PHP 2,500 in rent through the Pag-IBIG Fund.
For city government employees, this amount will be automatically deducted from their salaries, but the challenge lies with informal settlers.
“The problem is with the informal settlers because they do not have stable work,” Treñas said.
The mayor said he is considering encouraging informal settlers to enroll in Pag-IBIG while also providing work opportunities to help them afford the monthly payments.
For those unable to afford the rent, the city is exploring a land-only option, though this would be more costly for the government.
The city currently has 240 housing units from the National Housing Authority in Barangay San Isidro, with 120 additional units expected to be turned over by SMDC Properties this September.
In April, the city government signed a memorandum of agreement for its third Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program, which will be developed by Phinma Property Holding Corporation at a site yet to be identified.
The first two housing projects include one by EON Realty and Development Corporation in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro District, and another by Ethan Property Developers in Petals Ville, also in Jaro District.
According to the Iloilo City Local Housing Office, the city currently has an estimated 15,000 housing backlogs.
