BHA Initiates Discussion on Probable Housing Initiative with HPFPI

Bacolod City- (Tuesday) March 22, 2011, Bacolod Housing Authority’s (BHA) Department Head, Josephine Segundino initiated an exploratory discussion with Sonia Codornigara, Regional Coordinator for Western Visayas and Overall Programs and Services Coordinator of Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI) regarding a proposed socialized housing project in Bacolod City’s 58.6 hectare Granada-Vista Alegre Relocation Site II. Initial discussion targets 298 low income families informally residing along the riverbanks of Sharina Heights in Barangay Taculing. Out of the 58. 6 hectare relocation site, the city government of Bacolod City has allotted 3.52 hectares for the proposed housing project where home lot measures 64 sq. m. each.  

Other than the discussion on the proposed housing project, Cadornigara gave an update about the recent CLIFF Stakeholders Board (CSB) Meeting with a focus on the forum discussion entitled “Decent Housing, Is It Affordable?” which became a point of interest on how to advocate for exemptions and lowering down of cost of housing-related fees for the urban poor. Cadornigara raised HPFPI’s stand about some inapplicable and irrelevant provisions of the National Building Code of the Philippines particularly in matters pertaining to the housing initiatives of self-help groups. It requires permits and fees which the federation deem appropriate only to private and real estate developers like licenses to sell and building permits which are usually accomplished prior to housing construction. The city government’s capability of formulating resolutions which trim down housing-related requirements, as well as the establishment of strong partnership with national shelter agencies in order to hasten urban poor’s housing initiative were also highlighted during the meeting.

As regards the proposed housing project, the BHA pledged to draft a project proposal to be presented to Bacolod City Mayor, Evelio Leonardia for an executive approval on the following week. Conversely, Cadornigara assured that BHA’s proposal will be discussed by federation members accordingly. However, Cadornigara is looking at Urban Poor Fund International (UPFI) of the Slum Dwellers International (SDI) where Cadornigara is one of the board members, as a probable finance facility which could operationalize the proposed housing project.  

Learning from the experiences of HPFPI Iloilo on housing provision, it is evident that the partnership and support of the local government unit is very critical in determining the success of a project. Bacolod Housing Authority’s demonstration of interest on the community-driven initiatives of HPFPI particularly on the process being observed in the implementation of Community-led Infrastructure Finance Facility (CLIFF) Housing and Resettlement Project shows promising signs of a successful housing and resettlement intervention of HPFPI in Bacolod City.