500 poor families to benefit from GMA’s housing program

The mass housing program of President Arroyo got off to a rousing start in Pasig City yesterday with an initial 2.1 hectare of idle lands allotted to 500 poor families as beneficiaries.

The 30-year dream of the informal settlers of owning a house and lot they can call their own became a reality with the signing yesterday of a memorandum of agreement between the Pineda Homeowners Association Inc., the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, the local government of Pasig City and the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

Under the MOA, residents who have been living in the area for three decades, will pay the lands they occupy at P1,500 per square meter for a period of 25 years.

Pasig City Mayor Soledad Eusebio said the payment scheme is deemed soft to the homeowners because they can afford to pay unlike in other agreements that the recipients could not afford to pay higher amortization. Eusebio also said the city government will help in developing the area by constructing new roads, recreation areas like basketball courts, drainage and water systems, streetlights and other services the residents need.

The mayor said the open spaces will be bought by the city government from the PNR to ensure the implementation of infrastructure projects in the area.

The MOA which was signed jointly by the homeowners association, Eusebio, PNR general manager Joey Sarasola, and HUDCC head Mike Defensor will be presented to President Arroyo for final approval. – Non Alquitran