- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod passed on third and final reading Tuesday, June 20, the Homelot Ordinance that provides the guidelines for all socialized housing and resettlement programs in the highly-urbanized city.
Authored by Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez, chairperson of the SP Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement, and co-authored by 12 other councilors, the ordinance is in line with the city’s plan to expand its housing projects, and efficiently manage the socialized relocation and resettlement programs.
Until today, there are no policies and guidelines that govern the disposition and allocation of residential lots for original and non-original awardees, actual occupants, renters, sharers, vacant lots, institutional, commercial, and other lots at city relocation and resettlement sites, Gonzalez said.
He also noted the absence of policies on the “mode of dispositions and corresponding terms and conditions, homelot price, amortization, cost recovery schemes, sanctions for violations, and other regulations”.
The councilor took note of the P42-million financial assistance received by the city from the National Housing Authority for its resettlement projects “with the condition that the cost be recovered through the sale of lots and the proceeds to be used for more resettlement projects.”
The ordinance covers the awarding and cost recovery schemes and measures at Phase 1 of the Mansilingan Resettlement and Relocation Project, Phase 2 Mansilingan Site and Services Project, phases 3, 4, 5, 6A, and 6B in Handumanan, the Fortune Town Resettlement Project in Brgy. Estefania, Progreso Village relocation sites 1 and 2 in Vista Alegre, and other similarly situated socialized housing or homelot relocation programs of Bacolod.
Section 5 of the ordinance covers the homelot sale and dispositions to original and non-original awardees, as well as new applicants, who can get homelots through spot or staggered cash sale, conditional contract to sell, lease or lease with option to purchase, and sale though end-user financing or via compromise agreements./CGC
