Iloilo City socialized housing project is in progress intended for low-salaried regular employees of the City Government and the urban poor.
These two major housing projects are in line with the vision of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas of bringing Iloilo City to the top of the 5 Most Livable Highly Urbanized City come 2028.
The Iloilo City Government under the leadership of Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has announced that it will put up a mid-rise condominium for low-salaried regular employees.
The proposed 4-storey condominium will be located in Brgy. San Isidro, Jaro district – a portion of the already existing Uswag Subdivision relocation site. The vacant area was selected with about 2,741-square meter (sqm) for it is suitable for this kind of structure. Moreover, this is selected for regular employees of the City Government with a salary grade of 10 and below and who served the LGU for not less than five years.
Expected to be completed after one year and a half, the 30-sqm condo unit in two twin four-story back-to-back Uswag Low Rise Residential Building will rise in 2,741-sqm area and with around 120-130 units is already set for the beneficiaries.
This project is undertaken in partnership with SM Prime Holdings and its construction division SM Development Corporation.
The groundbreaking was held November 4, 2021 led by Mayor Jerry Treñas, Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, and Lone District Congresswoman Julienne Baronda together with SM Prime Holdings, SM Development Corp. (SMDC) President Jose Mari Banzon and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Eduardo del Rosario.
“As of last week, SMDC’s in-house contractor has started delivering aggregate materials that followed after the partial closure of the property, only front side vacant lot left for the delivery of materials; signaling that the construction proper will start in about a week’s period,” said Roy Firmeza, head of Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao).
The project has P247-million budget where P217-million is allotted for the residential building while the P30-million is for the site development. The budget came from the 15 percent of the housing balance compliance of SMDC nationwide,” Firmeza said.
“Another update is that, the recommendation of the technical working group about the selection of the beneficiaries. This is for those on Salary Grade 8 and below with at least five years service as regular employee by December 31, 2021, services as job hire is included,” he added.
Firmeza said the City Council adopted a resolution for such purpose. “I believe the mayor would like to, as much as possible in a matter of transparency, give chance to qualified beneficiaries,” said Firmeza.
In addition, the same low rise condo-type socialized housing this time for the urban poor is also on the works.
Speaking in Hiligaynon, Mayor Treñas expressed: “Isa ka handum ang aton guid gintigayon para makabulig sa aton mga kasimanwa nga imol, magapatindog kita sang mga Uswag low-rise condominium relocation building nga makabulig sa 720 ka mga pamilyang Ilonggo paagi sa bulig sang SMDC, Sen. Franklin Drilon, kag Cong. Jamjam Baronda,”
“Sa kamahal sang duta, nahibaluan ko guid ang kabudlay sang pagpatindog sang ila kaugalingon nga balay. Gani, gintinguhaan niya guid ang ini nga proyekto para sila mabuligan,” stressed Mayor Treñas.
February 24 this year, the ground breaking ceremony of the said condominium building was held at San Isidro, Jaro together with SMDC with the help of Sen. Franklin Drilon and the National Housing Authority (NHA).
The mass housing program will cater 240 informal settlers in Iloilo City.
Treñas thanked Drilon for facilitating the funding for four low-rise buildings to be built by NHA in the next months.
The 24-sqm 240-unit condominium will rise in a portion of three-hectare area. The housing project will benefit Informal Settlers Families (ISF) affected by the infrastructure projects and relocatees displaced by government projects in the metropolis.
The site can accommodate 18 buildings of 60 units each. The 14 other buildings will be constructed as the funds are allocated.
These projects is a pro-active approach of the City Government in response to scarcity of land due to fast development resulting to physical and spatial changes. Firmeza added this is along with the effort of bringing the socialized housing program to the next level.
“Handum ko nga sa tuig 2028, malab-ot naton ang pag-obra sang 3,600 nga mga unit para may ara guid ang aton mga pumuluyo balay nga matawag nga ila para man malab-ot ang akon handum nga paghatag dungog sa ciudad bilang Top 5 Most Livable Highly Urbanized City sa bilog nga Pilipinas,” concluded Mayor Treñas.