The local government here has formalized the home ownership of the 517 beneficiaries of the San Juan Villanueva-Sian Housing Site in Molo District.

With the signing of the contract to sell on Monday, beneficiaries are given the opportunity to gradually acquire ownership of their lots under terms designed to be manageable and responsive to their circumstances.

The housing site was acquired by the local government in 1992 as an on-site relocation area.

“There is no better way to ground the grand vision of a ‘World City’ or a ‘Progressive City’ than by ensuring our people have a roof over their heads, and a place that they can call their home,” Mayor Raisa Treñas said in her message during the signing ceremony.

In the contract, the beneficiary will acquire their lot for PHP200 per square meter, plus a proportionate share for communal area or common spaces.

They will be paying the city government PHP350 per month until the amount is fully paid within 10 years.

In an interview on Tuesday, Treñas said that housing is one of the priority programs of the city government.

“We are making sure the security of families in their homes,” she said.

She added that currently, the city government has six housing projects, including rental and socialized units.

The projects are expected to rise in the next 10 months, and the local government is targeting to award housing units to qualified applicants by December.

“We made sure our housing projects are built and designed for inclusivity. We are not just building structures for those who are homeless, but we are also actively creating spaces for our rising middle class and those hard-working Ilonggos who are just starting out their lives, building their careers and raising their families,” she said. (PNA)