QC mayor turns over P18.5 million for urban poor housing project
- July 31st, 2010
- Write comment
0 Comments | Manila Bulletin, July 25, 2010
With its major thrust geared towards pro-poor housing projects, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista turned over P18.5 million to the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the development of the National Government Center Eastside Housing Project on Commonwealth Avenue.
The amount which Bautista personally handed to NHA general manager Federico Laxa will cover the cost of processing the subdivision plans and re-blocking of some 22,000 urban poor families who have been long time residents in the area.
An ordinance was passed by the city council on October 26, 2009 to ease the grant of the appropriation, which was also needed to facilitate the processing and transfer of land titles to the qualified beneficiaries.
Republic Act No. 9207, otherwise known as the National Government Center Act of 2003, provides security of tenure to the bonafide residents of the NGC including the approval of the blueprint for the utilization and development of the area.
Bautista said that the city government has exerted efforts to solve the growing squatter problems in the city after some sectors tagged Quezon City as the squatter capital of the country.
The city government formulated an overall development plan that put emphasis on community-based development projects including the implementation of road improvement projects and delivery of health and social services to the residents.
Other government agencies like the Housing and the Urban Development Coordinating Council, Presidential Commission on Urban Poor, the National Government Eastside Development Project, National Housing Authority, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways and other people’s and non-government organizations joined in the preparation of the site development plan of the National Government Center – Eastside Development Project.
The plan dovetails the city’s comprehensive land use program and serves as guide in all the development activities in the area.
In his inaugural address, Bautista said that education, health, road and streetlight infrastructure, environmental protection and a true pro-poor housing program are the centerpiece programs of his administration.