Belmonte: Step up implementation of affordable housing ordinance

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte is pushing for the full implementation of a local ordinance providing for affordable housing to low-income sectors in the city.

“I want our city to have a more affordable housing project for our residents. We already have an ordinance for this, but I think we can step up our implementation so that more families will benefit from this,” she said in a statement yesterday.

Belmonte said they want to find ways to make a housing unit cheaper than the current price of P450,000.

“We will not offer it for free, but we will make sure that our residents will not be burdened so much by the payment,” she added.

The city government last year passed the city’s comprehensive socialized housing code that seeks to provide affordable and adequate housing for the low-income sectors in the city.

The ordinance also ensure access to employment and services within socialized housing areas while increasing the availability of cheaper and safe housing units for the informal settlers.

“My goal is to keep Quezon City residents within our city. I don’t want them going to Rizal, Bulacan, or elsewhere just to find some place to live in. If you are from Quezon City, then you should be living here in Quezon City,” said Belmonte.