Transitional housing in Cebu City hits snag

Transitional housing in Cebu City hits snag
SunStar Cebu CityIllustration by Yans Baroy
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The location and timeline for the construction of transitional housing for residents living within the three-meter easement of Cebu City’s creeks and rivers remain unclear.

Bidding was initially scheduled for September, but Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said they are still identifying the properties where these transitional housing units will be placed.

Cebu City plans to construct 500 units of transitional housing for families displaced by the clearing operations of the Gubat sa Baha campaign.

The 500 units already include the 100 units donated by the SM Development Corp. (SMDC).

Garcia said that he is considering the South Road Properties (SRP) as the location for the 400 units, while the SMDC-donated 100 would be at Block 27 in the North Reclamation Area (NRA).

A city planner, who used to be the city administrator under former mayor Tomas Osmeña, said placing the transitional housing either at the SRP or in Block 27 of the NRA needs to be revisited, and the economic viability should be reviewed.

Nigel Paul Villarete told SunStar Cebu via Messenger on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, that it would be good for the city to make the best and most economical use of land resources, especially those relatively more expensive ones.

He said SRP was originally envisioned for export-processing industries like the Mactan Export Processing Zone; however, the vision was revised after the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

“It’s up to the decision of city managers, but they owe it to the people to ensure that developments at the SRP accrue the highest economic internal rate of return to compensate for its expensive creation cost, which was financed through a loan,” he said.

Villarete said when the City Government negotiated with the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japanese government’s official development assistance agency, after the financial crisis, one of the most important agreements made was the prioritization of employment creation since it would have a direct impact on the economy.

“I hope this is still the prevailing guiding principle in the decisions for the best and highest use of the SRP,” he said.

Authorization

The City Council, during its regular session on Wednesday, Oct. 16, authorized Garcia to sign an agreement with the SMDC and Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the development of 100 transitional housing units.

Meanwhile, Councilor Joel Garganera said in a text message on Monday that there is no specific timeline for the project.

However, Garganera said that his office will request further proposals from SMDC and CCCI to specify the location and timeline.

Garganera said that during the executive session held on Oct. 10, the City Council wanted to know the specific location where the transitional houses will be constructed.

He said that there were some concerns regarding the proposed location.

“In conclusion, the council came to an agreement that the location in the MOA (memorandum of agreement) be left blank provided that it is constructed on a property owned and under the jurisdiction of the city,” he said.

Garganera added that he sponsored the resolution he submitted to the council during its regular session on Oct. 16 since the SMDC and CCCI tapped him.

The City Government currently has several pending low-cost housing projects for Cebu City residents, particularly for families who will be displaced by its “Gubat sa Baha” program, a flood mitigation initiative.

These efforts are being carried out in partnership with private entities.

Model

The City Government last Aug. 19 presented a model of a 15-square-meter transitional housing that includes two rooms with double-deck beds, a comfort room, a mini sink, and solar panels.

The City previously targeted to conduct bidding for its transitional housing project by September this year, said Garcia.

This project aims to provide homes for displaced families affected by clearing operations to recover the three-meter easement. / JPS

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