AT least 8,000 of the one million low-cost housing units targeted by the government per year are set to be turned over to intended recipients this year, a Malacanang official said yesterday.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said there are at least 90 housing projects expected to yield 259,365 low-cost housing units that are ongoing, while 82 other housing projects are currently in the pre-production stage.
There are also 436 pending proposals.
Castro said part of the 8,000 housing units are those completed and already turned over in Davao City and San Juan City.
She said there are also ongoing housing projects in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija; San Fernando, Pampanga; Bacolod City; Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental; San Mateo, Rizal; and Bocaue, Bulacan.
Castro said the administration remains committed to realizing its goal of addressing the housing gap in the country.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., at the start of his term, said there is a six-million housing gap in the country and his administration is committed to building at least one million a year.
Castro, however, said building and completing the housing target proved to be difficult.
“May mga pagkakataon po gustuhin po natin na matapos po ang lahat pero may mga causes of delays katulad po ng processing and release of development loans for private contractors; permitting or due diligence process on sites …and land ownership (There were times we want it completed but there were causes of delays such as the processing and release of development loans for private contractors; permitting or due diligence process on sites, and land ownership issues),” she said.
She added that another cause of delay is that the construction of four-storey buildings takes at least 10 months, and the minimal interest shown by contractors and developers in the housing projects because the housing units are to be sold at a low cost.
Castro said despite these, the administration remains committed and “will try very, very hard” to reach the targets it set.
