• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A 2.5-hectare Sidlak Village will soon rise in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, after the signing of a memorandum of agreement and groundbreaking ceremony with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), and Pag-IBIG Fund on February 27.
The housing project is made up of two 10-storey condominium-type buildings, intended for government employees and ISFs who are PAG-IBIG fund members.
It will be located in the 25,000-square-meter lot in Barangay XIII, with each tower having 600 units in 10 floors.
Sidlak Village is the city’s first major housing milestone through the City Human Settlements and Urban Development Office, under the administration of Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez.
“It is imperative to ensure the quality of the communities we are building. These human settlements are not only a place where people reside, these are cradles of societies,” Benitez said, in a statement issued by the City Public Information Office.
He also revealed during the signing of the MOA that Victorias City is the second LGU in the entire Philippines to sign a memorandum of agreement with DHSUD, following Bacolod City.
“This [ceremony] is a sign that we are moving toward more conscious and forward-looking human settlements that will withstand the modern problems of every human community,” Benitez said.
This is part of the provision of dignified human settlements to all Victoriahanons under the Six-Point Agenda of his administration.
The mayor said that the project aims to address the need for suitable and conducive shelters to every Victoriahanon and to deliver quality housing services.
Victorias City Government is coordinating with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, Office of Congressman Kiko Benitez, DHSUD, Pag-IBIG Fund, National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), and the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) for the realization of the housing projects.
Benitez led the MOA signing and groundbreaking ceremony with DHSUD Usec. Samuel Yang, DHSUD Asec. Engr. Leah Delfinado, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Pag-IBIG Fund Business Development Sector Senior Vice President Fermin Sta. Teresa Jr., Pag-IBIG Fund Trustee Anthony Arellano, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council Regional Coordinator Eva Maria Marfil, and Pag-IBIG FUND Home Lending Operations – VisMin Group OIC Engr. Noli Armada.
Vice Mayor Abelardo Bantug III and the Sangguniang Panlungsod members were also present along with SPM Juvy Pepello, punong barangays, city department heads, project contractors, and partners.
Sidlak Village is considered to be the first among the future housing projects in Victorias City under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program of the national government, through the initiative of the City Government.*
