CEBU -- More than 1,400 families from three cities in this province benefitted from the projects implemented by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario and DHSUD Regional Office-7 Director Lyndon Juntilla on Wednesday led the ceremonial turnover of the projects in the cities of Mandaue, Cebu and Naga.

First, Secretary Del Rosario handed over the certificate of project completion of the land development for the 6.5 Relocation Site in Barangay Pagnaan to the Mandaue City LGU led by Mayor Jonas Cortes.

The 6.5-hectare upgraded land development will benefit about 1,200 informal settler families mostly living along danger zones while some were victims of a fire incident.

Immediately after, the housing czar proceeded to Barangay Carreta, Cebu City to lead the distribution of Certificates of Entitlement for Lot Allocation spearheaded by the National Housing Authority (NHA) to 44 beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries, mostly senior citizens, received their CELAs after 20 years. Secretary Del Rosario went on to lead the turnover of the initial 86 out of the 192 permanent housing units in Barangay Tiraan to Naga City Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong.

The Naga City Permanent Housing Project, supported also by the NHA, will benefit the victims of the 2018 massive landslide that hit the city.

"These projects are in compliance to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s directive to provide decent and safe shelters in sustainable communities to the underprivileged, especially ISFs," Secretary Del Rosario stressed.

"And for us in the Department, we consider shelter as a right of every Filipino family and it is our responsibility to provide access to adequate, livable, affordable and inclusive housing communities to all," he added.

For their part, Mayor Cortes and Mayor Chiong expressed their deepest gratitude to Secretary Del Rosario for the realization of the housing projects in their cities. (DHSUD)