KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- Four local government units in Soccsksargen Region have pledged to build condo-type housing units under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program: Zero ISF 2028 (4PH) of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
"Today, we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with local government units who commit to implement a Pabahay program under the administration of President Marcos," Jennifer Bretaña, regional director of DHSUD 12, told Philippine Information Agency in an interview Wednesday, December 14.
Among those who signed the MoU to undertake 4-storey tenement housing projects were Mayor Eliordo Ogena of Koronadal City, Mayor Bernie Palencia of Polomok, and representatives of Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao of General Santos City, and Mayor Joseph George Lechonsito of Tacurong City.
Director Bretaña said these LGUs have already identified locations where the condo-type house projects will be built on.
With help from DHSUD, the LGUs will also profile and identify the informal settler families (ISF) and low-income families that will benefit from the housing projects and enroll the projects with 4PH.
"Once enrolled [in the Pabahay Program], the beneficiaries of the LGU housing projects can avail of 5 percent subsidy on their house loan from the national government. This means that they will only pay 1 percent per annum of the housing loan interest. This is to make housing more affordable to low income families and informal settler families who wish for own a house," Bretaña elaborated.
According to DHSUD estimates, a housing unit in a 4-storey tenement housing costs only P2,800 a month; but, this monthly amortization could further decrease since the housing projects will be built on lands owned by the LGUs.
Based on initial plans, the 4-storey housing projects will be built in Barangay San Jose in Koronadal City, Barangay Cannery Site in Polomolok, Barangay San Pablo in Tacurong City, and Barangay Mabuhay in General Santos City.
Bretaña said these LGUs may adopt DHSUD 12's condo-type housing project prototype name GIRL or Green-Inclusive-Resilient-Livable Housing Model.
GIRL is designed as a township with green spaces, hydroponics garden facility in the veranda of each unit as income-generation project, and business center at the ground floor that the LGU can rent out to generate revenue.
During the event at The Farm@Carpenter Hill on Wednesday, 10 other LGUs also signed commitment documents to undertake horizontal (1-storey) housing projects for ISFs and low-income families in their respective localities.
These LGUs include Kidapawan City and Mlang in North Cotabato; Glan in Sarangani; Kalamansig and Lambayong in Sultan Kudarat; and Norala, Tampakan, Tboli, Lake Sebu, and Banga in South Cotabato. (PIA-SOCCSKSARGEN)
