Ilocos 4P housing starts with 10 condo buildings

By Gabriel L. Cardinoza

ASINGAN, Pangasinan -- The first housing project in Region 1 (Ilocos Region) under the national government's Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4P) program was launched here on Dec. 15, in the farming village of Carosucan Norte.
    "This project consists of 10 four-story condominium buildings," said Sherwin Patanao, 4P regional focal person of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD), shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony here.
    "We are no longer developing horizontal housing projects because our agricultural areas are becoming smaller and smaller," Patanao added.
    The project will be built starting next year inside a 2.14-hectare area located about 1.5 kilometers from the Villasis-Asingan Road.
    Each condominium building will have 24 units in each floor, or a total of 96 units for every building. Each unit will have an area of 27 square meters.
    "So, there will be a total of 960 units. And this is just the first phase of the project," said Patanao.
DHSUD Undersecretary Emmanuel Pineda said that the housing project will have a swimming pool, playground, a clubhouse and parking areas for cars and motorcycles.
    "We wanted it to be breathable and livable, so instead of the 30 percent minimum open space, we made it 40 percent for the quality of life of the occupants," Pineda said.
    He said the housing project is open to all Filipinos, adding that it will be affordable for everybody, especially the informal sectors.
    He also said a condominium unit is payable in 30 years, at P2,600 per month amortization in the first year and P3,600 per month in the following years.
    Mayor Carlos Lopez Jr. expressed his gratitude to DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar for approving the project.
    He also thanked Dept. of Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella 3rd for helping in the reclassification of the project site, which the town purchased many years back.
    Lopez said that the town has more than 3,000 backlogs in housing and some 1,000 families live under a bridge or within the irrigation line.
    Pangasinan 6th District Rep. Marlyn Primicias Agabas said that this was "so blessed."
    She said last Dec. 14, she and Lopez led the groundbreaking ceremony for a Regional Trial Court station for this town and neighboring San Manuel.
    She also said that a "super health center" will be built soon near the housing project after she requested it from the Dept. of Health.
    In addition, Agabas said, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has allotted an initial P10 million for the construction of a new building.
    "It is our vision that this place will become a beautiful community. By 2025, after the first two buildings will rise, we should also start planning to build daycare centers for our children," Agabas said.
    "What we are doing now is history. In the future, they might have their own school," she added.
    Patanao said that the project will be completed in five years, with two buildings built every year.
    He said that for this project, they were just waiting for the beneficiary selection before its construction starts.
    Lopez said they have already approved 300 applicants, consisting of overseas Filipino workers, tricycle drivers, teachers and government employees.