The city government of Tabuk is set to start the construction of at least 2,000 condominium-style housing units with the help of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) as it prepares for the possibility of becoming a regional center.

“I am about to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for a tripartite agreement and bipartite agreement with the contractor and DHSUD. We will be constructing a township project composed of 14 buildings that will be used as housing,” Mayor Darwin Estrañero said in a phone interview on Wednesday.

The project is a combination of rural and urban living, where the condominium buildings, which will have around 2,000-3,000 housing units, will be surrounded by agricultural farms for food production.

It is seen to address the housing requirements in Tabuk City and Kalinga as well as those of other provinces.

Estrañero said the initial MOA was signed with the DHSUD in February 2023, and they are currently finalizing the construction of the buildings that would be situated in Barangay San Juan.

“As soon as we finalize the preparation for the construction, we will commence with the project, hopefully, this year,” Estrañero, also an engineer by profession, said.

Once the project in Barangay San Juan starts, the mayor said they will also study the possibility of having a housing facility in Barangay Bulanao.

“We will also be studying the possibility of doing this at the Bulanao public market area. We will build a 10-story building with the first three floors to be used as a mall and the remaining floors for residential purposes and will be open to Tabuk and Kalinga residents,” Estrañero added. (PNA)