Jonas wants to convert condo into school

CEBU, Philippines - Mayor Jonas Cortes wants the unfinished medium rise condominium for socialized housing for the urban poor in barangay Looc, Mandaue City to be converted into a school.

Mr. Jimmy Vasquez of the Mayor's Management Team said that the medium rise condominium project initiated by the former administration of Mandaue City Thadeo Ouano is not viable for socialized housing.

He said that when Mayor Cortes became mayor in 2007, he ordered a review of documents and the jobs to be done for the unfinished project.

The review showed that if the project pushes through, it would cost more than what has been estimated and not all of the 600 squatter families who are living in sitio Paradise in barangay Looc who are beneficiaries of the housing project could be accommodated since the condominium could house only 200 families.

The city also doubts if the beneficiaries could pay their monthly amortizations for 25 years.

Cortes then ordered the project suspended after it was found out no feasibility study was conducted.

Vasquez said that since the project is not viable for socialized housing, Cortes now wants the facility converted into a school preferably the permanent site for the Mandaue City College.

He said that there was also a plan to use the unfinished project as a temporary relocation site for fire victims but the mayor was not keen to the idea as fire victims would make it their permanent home. 

Cortes will now seek the National Housing Authority's approval for its conversion since there is a pending P100 million loan to finish its construction.

The mayor earlier said it would be much better if the P100 million loan would be used to purchase a lot which could accommodate more than 1,000 urban poor families in the city. (THE FREEMAN)