The province of Ilocos Norte has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and agreement with the newly-created Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for the construction of affordable houses here.

Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) project, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc said in a media interview Thursday that a government lot near the Provincial Engineering Office in Barangay 5 San Pedro has been committed to the project.

The identified location will also host the Ilocos Norte transportation hub, designed as an intermodal terminal with multi-level platforms to alleviate traffic congestion in business districts and provide seamless interconnectivity of various modes of transportation such as public utility jeepneys, buses, taxis, vans, and tricycles.

It will also function as a transfer point for commuters entering and exiting the province, making land travel more convenient and comfortable.

“The arrangement basically is for the local government unit to provide a lot as counterpart and the private contractor will invest in the housing with the support of Pag-IBIG Fund,” Manotoc said.

The 4PH project has been designed not just to build houses but communities where service facilities, infrastructures, amenities as well as business opportunities, are in proximity to the development sites.

By tapping funds from the private sector, the project aims to build 6 million affordable and safe housing units from 2023 to 2028 or until the end of the President’s term.

Target beneficiaries include minimum wage earners, families relocated from high-risk and disaster-prone areas, and other members of poor communities.

Ilocos Norte signed the MOU and agreement with the DHSUD for the housing project last May 9.

The DHSUD is the primary national government agency responsible for the management, policy, regulation, and program coordination of housing, human settlement, and urban development concerns. (PNA)