Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, July 20, that he is submitting a list of idle land owned by the national government in Bacolod City to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) so it can expand its housing program in Bacolod City.
Benitez said this in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order (EO) 34 directing all government agencies, including local government units, to identify government properties that can be used for the expansion of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program.
This EO will now force the national government agencies and departments to transfer their unutilized land to the DHSUD for housing, he said at a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center.
“I will submit all the listings that we have, especially those with informal settlers for their (DHSUD) proper disposition,” Benitez said.
The mayor said he has asked the City Assessor’s Office to provide him with the list of the identified government-owned properties.
Meanwhile, 1,200 informal settlers have already expressed interest in availing of housing units in two four-story buildings with 400 units that are expected to be completed at the Arao Relocation Site in Barangay Vista Alegre, Bacolod City, by October to December, Benitez said.
The 4PH program will prioritize informal settler families and first time homeowners who are Pag-IBIG members, he said.
They are eyeing a less than P2,000 monthly amortization for the housing units, he added.
Benitez said he expects the president to discuss his flagship housing program in his state of the nation address on Monday, July 24.
“It is one of the priority programs that the Marcos administration is pushing forward,” Benitez said.
Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez said they are also encouraging private landowners and developers to come up with housing projects in Bacolod.
Home world is building about 800 housing units in Barangay Estefania, Bacolod, Gonzalez pointed out.
Meanwhile, Benitez said the city government is planning to put up a public utility terminal at the Arao relocation site and is exploring ways to reduce the cost of public transportation to the area.*