More tenement buildings for Cebu City’s ‘underprivileged constituents’ — Labella

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella (leftmost) leads the groundbreaking activity for the two mid-rise tenement buildings in Barangay Lorega on Wednesday, September 18. CDND PHOTO / Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — More low-cost housing projects will be constructed in the city.

This was announced by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella after the groundbreaking ceremony of the two five-storey tenement buildings in Barangay Lorega on Wednesday, September 18.

The two buildings cost P200 million and are expected to be completed in 2021.

The tenement buildings can house 200 families in total.

Each building will have its own health care center, skills training center, and daycare center.

Labella said the social housing project will allow tenants to live in the tenement rent-free for five years. After five years, they are expected to have found ways to improve their economic and living condition and find another home.

Labella said this is a way for the underprivileged constituents of Cebu City to have a dignified living and a chance to improve their lives.

To make this possible, the city plans to strictly implement the Urban Development Housing Act of 1992, which states that five percent of the cost of urban developments and subdivisions will go to socialized housing.

The mayor wants the developers to pay their dues to the city so there will be more funds to be used for building the low-cost housing projects.

“Mao na akong gihangyo ang City Council nga kanang five percent for socialized housing, i-deposit una na sa City Treasurer una mahatagan og development permit. (This is what I am asking the City council… to make an ordinance that will ensure that the five percent for the socialized housing be deposited to the City Treasurer before any developer will be given a development permit),” said Labella. / celr