- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez is being urged to create a Task Force Pabahay Bacolodnon.
Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez, who is the chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Urban Poor, Housing, and Resettlement, said this is to hasten the efficient and effective implementation of city shelter and human settlement programs and projects.
His resolution on the creation of the task force was approved by the SP during its regular session Wednesday.
| Vladi FB Photo
The on-site housing for informal settlers is among the priorities of the Benitez administration, and was part of the campaign promises of the Asenso Team in the May 9 elections.
The mayor, during his inaugural speech, said that as part of future plans, his team is already discussing how to build 5,000 on-site housing units in one year, and priority will be given to families living in danger zones or flood-prone areas.
He said the informal settlers will no longer be relocated to far-flung relocation sites. “We have already identified priority sites. We are in talks with housing financial market experts to mobilize the initial funding for this program.”
“We will establish a house-for-work program,” Benitez stressed.
He recently met with the representatives of the Joly Homes Foundation on plans for affordable housing for informal settler families of Bacolod City.
The Foundation is a nongovernment organization “that takes part in change-making, by working with poor communities in innovating models and practices on housing and urban development.”/CGC
