Payment hounds dev’t of Paknaan relocation site

The Socialized Housing Program of Mandaue City is looking for funds to pay the balance of P48 million for the 6.5-hectare relocation site in barangay Paknaan.

Housing and Development Office (Hudo) head Tonypet Juanico said that settling the balance for the land acquired from land owner Dennis Lua was long overdue.

The City of Mandaue promised Lua of payment for the land within two years. It’s been almost four years since the city acquired the land.

Last May 18, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) gave P44 million as partial payment to Lua for the 1,200 lots intended for Mandaue City households to be relocated from riverbanks.

Vice president Binay witnessed the signing of the partnership agreement between the Mandaue city government and the SHFC under the Community Mortgage Program.

Juanico said they were banking on an assurance from Habitat for Humanity – Philippines to help purchase the Paknaan lot.

Generally, non-government organizations involved in socialized housing only provide funds for building houses. Land acquisition is left to the local government units and homeowner’s associations under the government’s socialized housing program.

“They agreed in principle but unfortunately, along the way it was allegedly disapproved by their board,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Meanwhile, construction of the relocation site’s drainage system may start soon.

The project was awarded to PLD Construction, which promised to complete it before the year ends, said Juanico.

“Wala na gyud rason ang mga taga-sitio Mahayag ug Mahayahay aron dili musugot sa pag-adto,” he explained.

(Residents of sitios Mahayag and Mahayahay in Subangdaku will no longer have a reason not to relocate there.)

Their dwellings along the river were demolished last June but they still resist relocation saying the new site is not secured against flooding.

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