By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — City mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso celebrated his 52nd birthday by awarding 52 families the chance to secure permanent housing through the city government’s in-city housing program on October 24.
The beneficiaries were selected in a grand raffle for ready-for-occupancy units at San Lazaro Residences, a 20-storey residential development offering affordable housing to qualified Manila residents.
Domagoso and Vice Mayor Angela Lei “Chi” Atienza personally drew the winning entries before approximately 3,300 applicants who followed the proceedings through livestreams on the official Facebook pages of the Manila Public Information Office, Manila Urban Settlements Office and the mayor.
Each unit measures 42 square meters and contains two bedrooms. Monthly contributions range from ₱2,000 to ₱3,000, according to the city government.
“Sa mismong araw ng aking kaarawan, napakasaya po sa pakiramdam na makapaghatid tayo ng pag-asa at bagong simula sa mga pamilyang nangangarap ng maayos at disenteng tirahan,” Domagoso said.
The mayor, who grew up as an informal settler, said the units would remain under city government stewardship to prevent beneficiaries from selling them to other parties and defeating the program’s purpose.
Families who eventually surrender their units will receive a full refund of their accumulated contributions. Under the city’s example, a beneficiary paying ₱2,000 monthly for 20 years would receive ₱480,000 upon relinquishing the property.
Domagoso also said amortization collections are invested in government securities under a city ordinance he authored during the pandemic. The fund has reportedly reached ₱50 million.
San Lazaro Residences is the seventh in-city housing development completed under his administration, following Tondominium 1 and 2, Basecommunity, Binondominium 1, Pedro Gil Residences and San Sebastian Residences. Binondominium 2 is still being built.
Domagoso vowed to sustain the housing initiative, saying the city government would continue working to provide more Manila families with access to decent homes.
ia/xf
