Iloilo City Government’s low-salaried regular employees and their families will benefit from Uswag Low Rise Residential Building project at Brgy. San Isidro in Jaro district.
Mayor Jerry Treñas, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, and Congresswoman Julienne Baronda led the groundbreaking with SM Prime Holdings, SM Development Corp. (SMDC) President Jose Mari Banzon, and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo del Rosario on Thursday, November 4, 2021.
“We thank SM for being a dynamic partner for progress and building a better future for the Ilonggos,” Treñas stressed. They signed the Memorandum of Agreement in August.
“This was one of the projects I pushed for in my WHEELS program under Welfare which will give provision for our informal settlers. We are also currently in talks with DHSUD, NHA, Sen. Frank Drilon, and Congresswoman Jamjam Baronda as we aim to build more of these buildings so that more Ilonggos will be provided with decent and safe homes where the value of strong Ilonggo family ties will be built,” Treñas added.
The City Council also endorsed for approval the plans and perspective.
Del Rosario, in his message, said the city’s vertical housing project should be the way for all urban cities in the country because of the growing limitation of available lots for residential housing.
“We are very glad with Iloilo City for leading the way and moving forward because this is the future and we cannot do otherwise,” he said.
He expressed the commitment of their department to support projects using escrow, especially for socialized housing.
The department will be financing the establishment of another low-rise residential building that will be launched in the next few days in the city.
The two 4-story buildings with a total of 120 units will house recipients through screening by the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao). The city government will be coming up with an executive order that will institutionalize the selection criteria for qualified employees.
The units will be open to employees who are head of the family and has no real property in any part of the country, have not availed of any socialized housing program of the government, and a bonafide resident of the city for five years.
Further, must not be a professional squatter or a member of a professional squatting syndicate.
Under the law, developers with big projects in the metropolis are mandated to build their “balanced housing” through an affordable payment scheme for identified recipients.
SMDC is developing condominium units behind SM City mall in Mandurriao. (via Iloilo City PIO | PNA)
