Mandaue’s housing projects impress World Bank officials

CEBU, Philippines - Impressed by the socialized housing projects in Mandaue City, World Bank officials wants to duplicate these in other areas.

“It is a very good project and we have seen that the mayor is also empowering the communities and involving the private sectors, a good element for socialized housing program,” said Chris Pablo, representative of World Bank Philippines.

Pablo accompanied a four-man team from the World Bank who arrived in Mandaue to evaluate the socialized housing projects of the city.

The team went to Kobe, Canduman where a project is being implemented in cooperation with Ramon Aboitiz Foundation.

According to Pablo the projects in Lower Tipolo and Malibu, Subangdaku, part of the 9.2 hectare on-site project, and the 6.5 hectare-relocation project in Paknaan are worth replication in other local government units, adding that these projects are sustainable even after Mayor Jonas Cortes’s term expires.

Pablo said one member of the team, Prof. James Robinson of Harvard University in the USA will include this in a book he will be writing and in his blog.

Meanwhile, Cortes turned over 41 units at the 6.5 hectare relocation area in Paknaan to beneficiaries who voluntarily demolished their houses located within the three-meter easement in Mahiga Creek and Butuanon River, both considered as danger zones.

“We are finally out of danger and owns a house in a new, safe and clean place,” said Arlyn Dublin, one of the beneficiaries and president of homeowners in Sapa-sapa I, Subangdaku.

Leopoldo Chavez, president of the 12-strong member-organization of the Federation of Homeless People’s Federation said by January another 40 housing units will be built by the Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. (PACSI). Each unit will have two floors, with a floor area of 28 sq. meters, a terrace and an attic valued at P96,000, mostly built of bricks, with labor paid through sweat equity and the lot purchased through the Community Mortgage Program of the city government.  (FREEMAN)