The National Housing Authority has committed a substantial amount to help Bacolod City fund the development of the new relocation site in Brgy. Granada that it had bought from the Arao family, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday.
Leonardia said NHA general manager Chito Cruz asked him during a meeting in Manila if the city is willing to give the police facilities in the area. He said his priority are the Bacoleños because it would be unfair to give lots for housing to other people who are not from Bacolod especially since the property was bought by the city. Leonardia said he is negotiating with Cruz if NHA could increase the fund it is allocating for developing the new relocation site of Bacolod. The new relocation site is also one of the areas being eyed for the Social Development Center because the size of the lot is quite substantial, Leonardia said. Even the Philippine National Police has asked the city, through former Tarlac Rep. Margarita Cojuangco, to put the PNP Training Center there, he said. Leonardia said their technical men are studying the possibility of converting some areas in the (Arao) property that was initially for a relocation site. “Personally, I am open to the idea of using some of the areas for this purpose because, in the end, the dynamics of things in that property will also be enhanced if there are other institutions there that can help stimulate economic activities in the area,” he said. He will consult other city officials on the matter, he added. “Overall, if we have to give part of the lot for that, I believe that we have a substantial number of lots to fill the immediate needs of our people,” Leonardia said. He said the new relocation site has a development plan but it can be revised if they have to accommodate others. The first phase of the property is now ready to accommodate about 500 qualified informal settlers of the city by the second quarter of the year. Meanwhile, Leonardia said he was also able to talk to Florentino España of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation and they are going to thoroughly study the possibility of putting up medium rise buildings for Pag-Ibig members since the city has properties at the reclamation area. “The housing needs of our people have no end. If we make plans, at least we can start to address this problem,” he said. Earlier the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed a resolution requesting Vice President Jejomar Binay to consider Bacolod policemen and women and homeless city employees for housing program under the President’s Social Fund. Authored by Councilor El Cid Familiaran, the resolution said there is now an opportunity for low-paid police personnel and government employees to have their own homes under the administration though the P7 billion President’s Social Fund.*CGS BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO Visayan Daily Star
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