The administration of Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has been studying ways to use idle government land for decent housing projects for Filipinos based on existing laws.
“Sa ngayon, patuloy namang nagsisikap ang ating pamahalaan upang mas marami pa tayong maipapatayo na mga pabahay para sa ating mga minamahal na kababayan,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said during Monday’s groundbreaking of the Disiplina Village in Arkong Bato Park in Valenzuela City.
“Patuloy nating pinag-aaralan kung paano isasagawa ang pagtukoy at paggamit sa mga bakanteng lupa ng gobyerno na maaaring tayuan ng mga pabahay, ayon sa ating mga batas at alituntunin,” the chief executive noted.
The shelter initiative in Valenzuela City is a good example of the government’s efforts of providing people with decent and affordable housing, President Marcos said, as he called on all stakeholders to continue building high-quality and affordable houses for the people.
The President also wants to make sure that residents who will occupy those housing units must have enough opportunities for sources of livelihood using their talents and skills.
“Mahalagang makipagtulungan sa iba pang mga ahensya ng gobyerno at pribadong sektor upang maisakatuparan ang ating mga kolektibong hangarin,” President Marcos said.
“Gayundin, tiyakin natin na ang ating mga gusali ay matatag gamit ang kalidad at matibay na mga materyales,” the President said.
The Disiplina Villages are complete communities that provide residents with access to schools, health centers and government services through the city hall annex.
The Valenzuela City government and the Disiplina Villages beneficiaries have entered into a Home Space Agreement, which seeks to instill discipline to the residents in the maintenance of their homes and communities.
The fourth Disiplina Village will rise in a 2.07-hectare land in Barangay Arkong Bato, Valenzuela City, where a total of 20 five-storey buildings intended for 1,200 informal settler families (ISFs), who were living along the Tullahan River and the Manila Bay, will be built in support of the administration’s Build Better More Housing Program.
The first three Disiplina Villages were built in Barangays Ugong, Bignay and Lingunan, Valenzuela City.
The first two villages in Ugong and Bignay were built for ISFs affected by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, which became the first two in-city relocation sites and public rental housing projects for ISFs in the country.
With a total of 12.9 hectares, the Disiplina Villages in Ugong and Bignay can accommodate more than 4,500 ISFs previously living in danger zones.
The third in-city resettlement site was in Barangay Lingunan. In October 2020, the city government transferred 164 families to the resettlement site. (PND)
