Committee to oversee city housing projects

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has created the Medium Rise Building (MRB) Executive Committee to centralize the management of city-owned housing projects and ensure their proper operation and maintenance.

This is through Executive Order (EO) No. 094, Series of 2026, signed on August 12, which formalizes the committee’s authority over MRBs while leaving beneficiary screening to the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP).

The EO comes amid Cebu City’s worsening housing crisis, which was formally declared an “urgent concern” by the City Council earlier this year.

Officials said the rapid urbanization, population growth, and environmental risks have left thousands of informal settler families in danger zones such as riverbanks, coastal areas, and landslide-prone hillsides.

Councilor Michelle Abella-Cellona’s resolution earlier highlighted the need for resilient and sustainable housing solutions, urging the city to adopt a 10-year socialized housing master plan to guide relocation and development efforts.

Archival has consistently pushed for vertical housing as a solution to the city’s land scarcity.

In 2025, he announced plans to expand MRB projects, citing the 100-unit building in Barangay Lorega-San Miguel as a model.

He emphasized that MRBs represent “the future” of Cebu’s housing program, complementing the national government’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) initiative, which recently broke ground for the construction of 19 six-story buildings in Barangay Pulangbato to benefit 3,000 families.

These efforts align with the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), which mandates local governments to provide affordable housing and protect informal settlers from unjust evictions.

The DWUP, established in 2013 from earlier urban poor commissions, plays a pivotal role in Cebu City’s housing framework.

It screens and qualifies beneficiaries, manages relocation sites, and implements welfare programs for low-income families.

The division oversees housing projects in barangays such as Busay, Kasambagan, Bulacao, and Pasil, serving around 1,800 families. Beyond housing, the DWUP also runs livelihood programs and community empowerment initiatives, ensuring that socialized housing is coupled with socioeconomic support.

Under EO 094, the MRB Executive Committee will be chaired by the City Mayor or his representative, with members drawn from the City Local Housing Board, DWUP, Department of General Services, Department of Engineering and Public Works, the City Legal Office, and a partner private institution.

Its powers include appointing building administrators, regulating common areas and commercial spaces, setting rental rates at socialized levels, and coordinating with national agencies such as the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Revenues from rentals and leases will fund operations, supplemented by appropriations from the Office of the Mayor when necessary.

Archival stressed that rental rates must remain affordable to preserve the socialized housing character of MRBs.

Commercial leasing will be conducted transparently, with proceeds prioritized for building maintenance.

The DWUP will serve as the committee’s secretariat, ensuring administrative support and record-keeping. — (FREEMAN)