This city in northern Negros Occidental signed a deal with the Pag-IBIG Fund on Monday to launch a 12-hectare housing project for government employees.

Called the Villa Tiglawigan, which is situated in the coastal Barangay Tiglawigan, the site of city’s crab industry, the project intends to provide an affordable and decent shelter for the target beneficiaries, who are personnel of the city government and the Department of Education.

The partnership, which supports the Marcos administration’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program, was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two parties represented by Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr.; Councilor Sheila Tabanao, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on housing and land use; and Fermin Sta. Teresa Jr., senior vice president for Home Lending Operations of Pag-IBIG Fund.

The signing of MOU, which was also witnessed by Pag-IBIG Fund trustee Anthony Cesar Arellano and other agency officials, took place after the ceremonial groundbreaking.

“We thank the President (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) for giving people like us here in the countryside the opportunity to avail of this beautiful yet affordable housing program,” Escalante said.

On the site will rise 260 socialized and 411 economic housing units.

The socialized housing units, which have a package price of PHP580,000 each, come in duplex models while the economic units, with a price yet to be determined, have both duplex and single detached models.

Implemented through a public-private partnership scheme where the city government owns the 12-hectare, the property will be developed by contractor JVC Tough Core Construction and Builders Corporation.

The land is part of the 21-hectare lot purchased by the city for its land banking program.

Escalante said two hectares have also been allotted for a housing project for informal settlers in the area.

In his message, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government is ready to support Cadiz to “achieve their common desire to make available, at affordable cost, decent housing to the Negrenses”.

“The government has been intensifying its efforts toward the housing needs of our people. It is just fitting that we extend the same to our employees,” he added. (PNA)