Local gov’t seeks to expedite housing projects in Koronadal
In a bid to expedite the completion of a housing program for informal settlers and low-income earners, the city government of Koronadal ardently supported the housing program of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) known as “National Housing for Filipinos: Zero ISF 2028”.
During the Facebook live program “Tingog sang Pagsanyog,” Councilor Gregorio O. Presga, Chairperson on the Committee on Housing and Land Use elaborated the partnership of the city government with DHSUD and the National Housing Authority (NHA) to provide a long-term solution to the impending demand for housing, given that Koronadal is a fast-growing city and the Regional Center site of Region XII.
When asked about the status of “Pabahay” in the city, Presga stated that 170 houses were recently completed at Cityville in New Pangasinan Phase 1 and that this will be turned over to the city government by the NHA sooner or later. “Thereafter, the bulok creek beneficiaries can begin transferring into the new house,” Presga said.
According to Presga, the 2 hectares donated by Camella located at Barangay San Jose is a work in progress. Infact, on December 14, the Mayor signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DSUH for the 640 Pambansang Pabahay. “Although we have not yet identified the beneficiaries but rest assured among the ISF and government employees they will benefit a 4-story type housing. In the year 2025 Part of our target that this 2500 Informal Settler Families (LSF) will be given their own houses.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) was tasked with identifying if a particular family is truly an LSF, and it is currently a continuous process to properly identify who will comprise the city’s 2,500 LSF. “Our city government’s action must be fastened. Infact, the Mayor emphasized the need to accomplish the housing projects within his term as part of his development thrust”.
Meanwhile, the identified area for the said DHSUD housing project is in Citiville, Barangay Pangasinan, and the land in Barangay San Jose, which was granted to the city government as part of Camella Homes’ socialized housing project. The City Ville Resettlement Project has a total land area of 28,684.00 square meters, with individual unit lots measuring 40.00 square meters. as well as a floor area of 24.70 square meters. The National Housing Authority (NHA) is in charge of completing the project, which has a contract duration of 600 calendar days and is set to be completed on May 24, 2023.
The NHA assisted in allocating Php50,000,000.00 to the Local Government of Koronadal as a resettlement assistance program, but the grantee will only pay Php25,000,000.00 over 30 years in instalments. In addition to the aforementioned program package, the aforementioned agency committed PHp20,000,000.00 in land development assistance, which has already been released to the city government.
Presga, on the other hand, linked the housing project to the city government’s clean and green efforts toward a beautiful landscape, which can be easily achieved by removing informal settlers from the city’s main thoroughfares. Following the recent groundbreaking ceremony, construction of 170 row-house units will begin immediately.
The city’s massive housing projects hope to provide a long-term solution to the city’s impending demand for housing as the heart of Region XII.