BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
About 5,000 homes for informal settlers will soon rise at the Yuhum Village in Brgy. Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, in a partnership between the administration of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
Human Settlement and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar yesterday said that its developer is targeting to complete the construction by next year.
The administration of Benitez is targeting 10,000 families of informal settlers to benefit from its housing programs in Brgys 8 and Banago, aside from Vista Alegre, where almost all of them are presently residing.
Acuzar and Benitez yesterday led the groundbreaking rites of decent homes for informal settlers in Brgy. Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, also attended by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and members of the City Council.
“The city is very blessed to be one of the first local government units to launch this program,” Benitez said.
Acuzar also confirmed that similar housing projects will be built in Victorias City, where the son of Benitez, Javier Miguel, is the mayor. The plans are now underway, he added.
The city government of Bacolod City is presently conducting a socio-economic survey, profiling and eligibility assessment of its targeted beneficiaries.
Benitez, who had pushed for the creation of Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development while congressman of the 3rd district of Negros Occidental, said “this will change the landscape of housing industry of the Philippines.”
Acuzar said the government’s priority housing program would fulfill the dreams of informal settlers to have decent homes, which is also the dream of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself.
The “Pambansang Pabahay Para Sa Pilipino: Zero Informal Settler Family Program for 2028” of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., aims to build six million housing units to address the country’s housing backlog in the next six years.
Mayor Javi Benitez, who also signed a memorandum of understanding with DHSUD, said he intends to constructs homes for informal settlers in Brgys. 6A, 11 and 13 in Victorias City, where people are closer to their livelihood, hospital and school needs.
When we plan the housing sites, we also think of their daily needs, Mayor Javi said.
DHSUD is also eyeing similar housing programs in Silay City.
OLD BACOLOD AIRPORT PLANS
Mayor Albee Benitez also revealed that he got the support of Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista for the development of old Bacolod Airport.
As part of its development, a portion of the old Bacolod Airport site will be used for city housing programs, BPO offices and commercial center, he said.
We will make it a new center for Bacolod City, Benitez added.*
