Housing chief eyes partnership with Metro LGUs

MANILA, Philippines — Newly appointed Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Acuzar is eyeing partnerships with local government units in Metro Manila to address housing backlogs.

Acuzar presented the DHSUD’s housing strategies to Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo; Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval and Vice Mayor Ninong dela Cruz; and Caloocan City Mayor Dale Malapitan during a consultative meeting with local officials in Metro Manila on Friday.

He said the plan would also maximize the use of government-owned lands for public housing purposes, particularly for informal settlers families (ISFs).

Acuzar, a real estate businessman before his appointment in the DHSUD, said he specifically presented to the local chief executives “new schemes favorable to both LGUs and target beneficiaries, which offer sustainability of the government housing program.”

“We see the role of LGUs as one of the key components to gradually address or even put an end to the challenges we are facing in the housing sector. They are our allies in development,” Acuzar said in a press statement yesterday.

Acuzar said the DHSUD’s proposed public housing projects aim to benefit the ISFs in Metro Manila, especially those living in dangerous zones.