Bacolod mayor mulls green lane route at Arao relocation site

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is now eyeing to put up a green lane route for electric public transportation at the Arao relocation site in Barangay Vista Alegre, as the city government will award the housing units under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program to the beneficiaries on December 20 this year.

“We will dedicate this route for electric public transportation in the city,” Benitez said Tuesday, November 14.

He said it’s the first green lane route in Bacolod, and he needs to get approval from the City Council to establish the route, adding that this will be a new route.

The mayor is hopeful that the green lane route will be available during the awarding of the housing units to 288 beneficiaries on December 20.

“We encourage our City Council to act fast on it,” Benitez said.

On November 10, Benitez, along with Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHSUD), and the real estate developer of Asenso Yuhum Housing (AYH), William Scheirman Jr., inspected the construction site at Barangay Vista Alegre.

Benitez said it’s the first 4PH program in the country, and they will prioritize the informal settler families (ISFs) in the city, especially the fire victims whose houses were demolished.

He said the beneficiaries include the informal settlers earning the equivalent of a minimum monthly wage of P10,000 who are qualified to take out Pag-IBIG long-term housing loans, will benefit from the DHSUD subsidy, and will be paying reduced monthly amortizations of P2,300 over a period of 30 years.

The Yuhum Residences will be composed of some 20 mid-rise condominium buildings of four to five storeys.

Benitez said the construction of the housing project is expected to be completed in four years, with a target to build 50,000 units to accommodate the underserved sectors, who can’t afford to buy a house.

Aside from Barangay Vista Alegre, he said the city will also implement housing projects in Barangay Estefania and Banago, among others, and they will start the construction of the units soon under the 4PH program.

Benitez disclosed that the city government will also have a land banking project or relocation program that will accommodate those who cannot afford to pay the monthly amortizations, and they will be given a lot only.

Moreover, Benitez said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also confirmed that he will attend the awarding of the housing units at Barangay Vista Alegre on December 20.*