Sarangani’s PPP housing project opens doors to first occupants

By BEVERLY C. PAOYON

ALABEL, Sarangani (January 25, 2012) – The first-ever PPP (Public-Private Partnership) initiated housing project in Sarangani finally opened its doors to the first batch of occupants Tuesday (January 24) in time for the awarding of certificates of occupancy to 11 beneficiaries.

Called as “The Capitol Residences”, it is the housing project of the provincial government, in joint venture with Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) and Sarangani Land and Development Corporation, which translates the commitment of provincial leaders to provide better shelter through medium grade but affordable housing facility for its employees.

The local government unit (LGU) –led housing project was implemented pursuant to Section 8 of Republic Act (RA) 7279 otherwise known as Urban Development and Housing Act in conjunction with Section 17 of RA 7160 also known as the Local Government Code of 1991.

HDMF Chief Executive Officer Atty. Darlene Marie Berberabe said there have been a lot of negotiations ongoing nationwide for the PPP housing program for the LGUs but she pointed out Sarangani’s project was yet the first ceremonial turn-over she witnessed.

“Una ko po itong (The Capitol Residences) napuntahan na tunay naman na nakatayo na ang mga bahay, tapos na ang land development, at may take-out na na labing-isang bahay,” Berberabe disclosed.

Berberabe said it was the first mandate of Vice President Jejomar Binay to Pag-IBIG, being the chairman of Pag-IBIG housing program, to conceptualize housing programs for LGUs which the latter supported with a campaign last year, but Berberabe said Sarangani implemented its own much ahead.

For his part, Governor Migs Dominguez said it was the “first time that the local government unit engages the first private-public partnership project especially in housing in the whole of Mindanao and maybe the whole Philippines.”

“A step towards providing innovations in utilizing partnership with the private sector to meet (our) developmental objectives finally today of abiding quality housing especially to our local government and national government employees,” Dominguez said.

The governor emphasized also that he wanted to leave the housing project as his legacy where all the beneficiaries “build families, will build noble communities.”

Dominguez, likewise, anticipated that The Capitol Residences could be a “template where other local government units or agencies of the government can follow as a progressive, innovative way of developing.”

This, according to Dominguez, will also signal the start of investment development that would “provide formal, decent and the best housing project in Sarangani and also become a little imperative for the city residents to look at where you can experience fresh air, where you can see Mt. Matutum and get the fresh breeze coming from Sarangani Bay.”

Dominguez, however, stressed that in this project it is not only the houses that will be made as the model of development but as well as the families that will grow there.

Atty. Wendel Avisado, secretary general of Housing and Development of the Office of the Vice President, noted this initiative of the provincial government as effective in encouraging employees in return to be more productive civil servants.

“Ang pagkakaroon ng kasiguruhan sa usaping pabahay ay mahalaga sa bawat pamilya,” Avisado said. He also pointed out “isa sa mga pangunahing karapatan ng bawat tao sa mundo ay magkaroon ng sariling lupa at bahay para sa kanyang pamilya.

Also during the ceremonial turnover was the signing of memorandum of understanding between Sarangani and its partners where part of the covenants agreed was the recoupment of the P6 million the provincial government spent in purchasing the 6-hectare housing area that would in turn earn the provincial government P33,334 per unit based on the one peso computation from the proceeds of the loan per take-out.

From the total 180 housing units to mortgage with HDMF, 11 beneficiaries constituted the first batch in which HDMF ceremonially turned over to the provincial government its monetary cash equivalent of P4.7 million as its share.

Per lot measures 210 square meters land area and 39.24 sq. meters floor area each unit, the advantage beneficiaries get compared to commercial housing units in cities which would range to an average of only 90 to 120 square meters. For more news and updates, please visit to www.sarangani.gov.ph (Beverly C. Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)