15-K Baguio famiies to get housing

By Liza Agoot 

BAGUIO CITY – Around 15,000 families are expected to benefit from the first socialized housing project here, with about 270 initial beneficiaries.
    Aileen Refuerzo, city chief information officer, on Wednesday said the Luna Terraces in Barangay Irisan, which broke ground in February, will be given to the city's informal settlers and those in dangerous areas or displaced by natural or man-made disasters.
    The Luna Terraces socialized housing is a joint project of the city government and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development through the National Housing Authority.
    It has initial funding of P50 million allocated for the construction of two out of the eight buildings which have a total cost of P326 million.
    Refuerzo said the Luna Terraces will be home to a socialized permaculture housing community.
    Permaculture is an innovative framework for creating sustainable ways of living, growing food, building houses, and creating communities while minimizing their environmental impact.
    Refuerzo said the units will be awarded to the beneficiaries under socialized payment terms.
    She said the first project will accommodate all the identified families that need relocation which is why the local government is looking for more lots to develop.
    “The city is looking for more lots to develop to accommodate the many families that need to be relocated to safer grounds,” Refuerzo said.
    Earlier, the city government said it was looking for areas outside Baguio, in the neighboring towns in Benguet, due to the limited land area of the country’s summer capital.
    Refuerzo said La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay, collectively known as LISTT, are now being considered as the expansion area. -- PNA