The provincial government here is looking for a property to purchase for its housing program for informal settlers in support of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH), the national administration’s flagship program.

In an interview on Thursday, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said the provincial government has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for the program on Sept. 3, 2022.

“We have our kasimanwas (residents) to help under that program. Others are specifically located in the properties of the province that we intend to develop,” he said.

Defensor said they have already conducted an inventory of government assets with informal settlers and profiled 250 families in the government property in the municipality of Sta. Barbara, who will be among the recipients of the program.

However, the Sta. Barbara land is being eyed for the location of a government center and not for the housing program.

The purchase of land for relocation “is now on the table”, the governor said.

“Right now, we are continuing to design a good program for them. In that process, we are looking for land where they will be transferred,” he added.

The province will also align with the 4PH its “Purok Resilience” program where a socialized small-scale housing project will be developed to cater to residents living in danger zones.

“Right now we are working with a private sector and we have several institutions that have signified their intention to help us. In fact, we have started a training program with them for that program,” Defensor added.

Executive Order (EO) 34 signed by Marcos on July 17 has declared 4PH as his administration’s flagship program.

The EO directed all national government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations, and local government units to submit an inventory of available lands that can be used for the program. (PNA)