Mandaue to pursue Looc housing project

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government will pursue the P100 million medium-rise housing project in barangay Looc, Mandaue City.

The project, initiated by former Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, was stopped during the administration of Mayor Jonas Cortes after he found out that it could only accommodate 205 out of the 600 beneficiaries who are mostly fishermen living in shanties near the seawaters of sitio Paradise in barangay Looc.

Cortes also doubts if the beneficiaries could pay for the P3,000 in monthly amortization once the project is finished.

Just recently the mayor said the city government has decided to pursue the project of which the original beneficiaries could still avail of it if only they could afford its monthly amortization.

However, city hall employees and employees of national government who are based in the city, could also avail of the project.

"We tend to forget nga sa tanto natong tinabang sa atong mga informal settlers naa man sad diay mga empleyado nato nga hangtud karon wa pa sad intawoy mga balay," the mayor said.

Cortes said he and his legal consultant lawyer Francisco Amit were at the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Manila last Tuesday to discuss about the proposal.

Amit said they found out that the feasibility study of the project was disapproved but the money was released.

In its income profile, only 100 families out of the 600 beneficiaries could afford to pay the monthly amortization.

Earlier, the Commission on Audit said the Looc housing project should be finished before the structures deteriorate and if the property is not utilized, it could result to wastage in government funds.

The P100 million project cost was financed by NHA from its Poverty Alleviation fund.

It's a six-story structure located in sitio Paradise in Looc but as of the present only 35 percent has been completed and these include the pile drive as well as concrete posts and floors on the first three floors.