Real estate players’, urban poor groups’ call: Affordable homes

Nathaniel Chua speaks during a consulation with members of the margelized sector in Cebu City. | Contributed photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – A group of real estate professionals formed an alliance with marginalized urban poor groups in Cebu City as part of their concerted effort to selected a leader who is competent to address the concerns of the underprivileged and the homeless.

The group also plans to select and endorse a candidate who will prioritize the needs of the poor.

“Grabi ang problema sa housing. Kining isyu sa pabalay dili lang seguridad sa yuta ug pamuyo, apil na niini ang kinsay dunay programa sa environment kay angay sab natong proteksiyonan atong balay against natural calamity so hopefully nga kini makab-ot nato ang kahiusahan. Wala tay specific nga gisuportaan karon but og unsay mahiusahan sa grupo segurado gyud nga maoy atong dad-on karong May 9 election,” Nathaniel Chua, a real estate broker and one of the convenors of the movement, was quoted in a press statment.

Chua’s group met for the first time with some informal settlers in Cebu City for a consultation last April 13, 2022.

During the gathering, they also discussed the qualifications that they are looking for in a chief executive, a servant leader who will also give priority to the need for socialized housing.

“Initially man gud ang mga real estate brokers nagka-estorya mi nga dunay problema sa housing sa Pilipinas specifically sa Cebu. Atong nakita nga duna gyuy kakulangan sa housing unya tungod kay naa mi sa industriya, sa real estate or house and lot pamaligya sa yuta ug balay, ang among nakat-onan nga mga teoriya kulang siya so kinahanglan mi mangutanana mismo sa informal settlers unsa gyud ilang problema aron mas masabtan namo,” Chua said.

“Unya duna pud ni connection sa umaabot nga election tungod kay ang mga real estate brokers nangita pud ta og mga kandidato nga magbitbit sa interes sa katawhan ilabi na gyud sa hisgutanan sa pabalay kay ang pabalay dili lang ni problema sa mga pobre even sa mga middle class kay dili affordable ang balay,” he added.

The consultation last was part of a series of consultations which they plan to hold in the coming days.

“Duna pa tay mga succeeding nga mga consulation aron pagpili og kinsa gyud mga kandidato nga dunay track record mahitungod sa housing ug dunay maayong programa para sa housing sa Pilipinas sa sunod nga unom ka tuig ug beyond sa six years pa,” said Chua.

After the consultation, the group hopes to identify the different problems affecting the informal settlers and possible solutions to these problems.

“This is just a consultation stage on housing concerns of the urban poor in Cebu City. Ang tumong of our group here in Cebu is to determine what are the real concerns, on the ground concerns of the urban settlers and from there we can determine how as practitioners in the real estate sector we could assist or give voice to the voiceless,” says Emily Cabillada, who is part of the group’s organizing committee.      

“We can use may be our influence in the industry to bring their concerns to the proper government agencies especially during election time. We can push policies of the right person or right candidates that will help realize all their solutions because there are many promises but not all can deliver,” Cabillada added.

Marilou Canizares, one of the group’s prime movers, they will also look at what the candidates have to offer to the urban poor.

“Among gipangita nga leader is the one who is transparent, who knows the law, dunay limpiyong track record, and makatabang gyud. Nakasugod na siya’g tabang unya segurado gyud mi nga mo-continue gyud siya, much more og ma-leader na, nga mo-serve sa mga pobre,” Canizares said.

/bmjo

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