Mayor to award security of land tenure to 57 families

FIFTY-SEVEN families living at the Project 1 Sooc Socialized Housing Zone in Arevalo district, Iloilo City will be awarded with a “Contract to Sell” by the City Government signifying a security of land tenure to the batch of relocatees in the area.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog will lead the awarding of home lots next week to the beneficiaries as endorsed by Wilfredo Jurilla, executive director of the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao).

This week, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing Mabilog to sign the contract in behalf of the City Government and the beneficiaries, thereby assuring the families of permanent occupancy of their respective home lots.

The Icupao is currently validating and finalizing documents for other beneficiaries in the Sooc relocation site with a contract of land tenure, Jurilla said.

The beneficiaries are going to pay back the city with a minimum amount of about P150 to P200 every month for 10 years, after which a certificate of land title will be awarded to them.

The Sooc relocation site in Arevalo is a well-developed area with amenities such as well-paved main road and access roads, electric power, water supply, a daycare center, plaza, and covered gym.

The area is a new community of relocatees composed of homeless informal settlers displaced from danger zones, river banks, and private lands in the city.

Jurilla said the City Government is maintaining several relocation sites with improvements and amenities for the displaced families such as in the San Isidro relocation site, Bitoon site and at the Sooc Mandurriao site.

The city has also awarded home lots to homeless families at several onsite development areas such as in Calumpang, San Juan and Taal in Molo district.