RESIDENTS LIVING IN DANGER ZONES, COASTAL BRGYS PRIORITY IN CITY’S NEW HOUSING PROJECTS

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The Iloilo City Government will prioritize informal settlers in danger zones and coastal areas of the city as beneficiaries of its new housing projects.

Included in this are the 173 Ilonggo families who will benefit from the Rise Batiano Village to be erected in Barangay West Habog-Habog, Molo.

According to Mayor Raisa Treñas, 173 housing units will be constructed at the site, where the City Government will fund both the development of the area and the housing units themselves.

Many of the beneficiaries are fire victims who currently live along riverbanks and are often affected by flooding.

The mayor added that the city is expecting to deliver more than 2,000 housing units through four major housing projects, including the Rise Batiano Village.

The other three projects are the Uswag Residential Complex and the Uswag 4PH Condominium Complex in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro, and the Westville Residences in Barangay Hibao-an, Mandurriao. All of these form part of the city’s housing program, “PASILONG: Pabalay para sa Pamilyang Ilonggo.”

“We have experienced several typhoons this year, and we have seen the impact of flooding and storm surges, especially in our coastal and low-lying areas. That is why we are making them a priority,” Mayor Treñas said.

Atty. Peter Jason Millare, head of the Iloilo City Local Housing Office (ICLHO), added that aside from those living in danger zones and coastal areas, residents who may be displaced by government infrastructure projects will also be prioritized.

The housing project in Barangay Hibao-an will be called Westville Residences, which will have 86 units. The City is partnering with Henber Realty Development Corporation for its construction as part of the company’s socialized housing balance compliance.

“They will build and help us with the design. We do not have the funds for housing construction, so they will take care of that. We will only develop the road that was not previously cemented,” Millare noted.

The Uswag Residential Complex and the Uswag 4PH Condominium Complex will provide a total of 1,917 housing units in partnership with Iloilo-based Eon Realty and Development Corp. and the National Housing Authority (NHA).

As recalled in her State of the City Address (SOCA), Mayor Treñas emphasized that providing decent and safe homes for Ilonggos through the PASILONG housing program is among her administration’s top priorities.

PASILONG is one of the 42 people-centered programs under the “Rising Livability” action pillar. The program goes beyond housing construction—it also focuses on organizing and empowering Homeowners Associations (HOAs), establishing community-based livelihood programs through HOA-led cooperatives and Sustainable Livelihood Programs (SLPs), creating talipapa centers, and identifying sites for community health facilities.

Currently, Iloilo City has 46 relocation and resettlement sites, with residents organized into 55 HOAs, six federations, and one confederation.

The City has also acquired nearly 30,000 square meters of additional land in preparation for future housing projects. (Advertorial)