City's housing backlog continues to swell
The housing problem in the city continue to worsen as the projected housing backlog in the years to come is projected to reach 8,000. In Iloilo City alone, the present housing backlog is 5,850. This even worsens as the Housing and Land Use and Regulatory Board (HLURB) is not closely coordinating with the city government relative to the city's housing problems.
A report presented by Peachy Marie Garrido of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP) Friday last week showed that there are already 10,140 families in the city who have acquired security of tenures to possess the land they are occupying.
Garrido said the sad state on the city's housing backlog is not properly addressed by the HLURB.
Garrido said the massive or rapid urbanization and influx of people to the city contributed much to the housing problem in the city. Of the 5,850 housing backlog, 72 percent of the occupants are living in high risk areas. Most of these families are living in what are considered as flood prone areas.
Garrido's report on the city's housing backlog was based on the report of the Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (Icupao). She was asked by Icupao to present the city's housing backlog to the visiting Germans who are members of the MISEREOR, a church-based organization that extends help in Asia and Africa in its housing programs. It does not only offers financial help but technical support to help the poor overcome their situation.
The same report dealt on the city's limitation relative to its Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). The CLUP could hardly address urbanization particularly in the housing needs. The Icupao for its part has no legal holdings to remove illegal structures. "Icupao's absence of mandate for the timely removal of illegal structures adds to the problem," said Garrido.
The other issues and limitations which concerns the housing backlog which are not addressed are the budgetary constraint for slum upgrading and development of existing resettlement sites, city's shelter plan are not yet formulated, minimal sources in employing barangay officials assistance in socialized housing program implementation and difficulty in keeping with the program backlog and related demands post by rapid urbanization.
There is a limited budgetary support in favor of Iloilo City Urban Poor Federation (ICUPFI) and other people's organization in the housing backlogs in the city, said Garrido.
The team of German visitors visited barangays West Habog-Habog, Sooc and North Baluarte in Molo and Sooc, Arevalo. The three barangays are placed on the priority list of communities in the city that can probably avail MISEREOR's help.