Manila resettlement project to house 128 Tondo families

In two to three months’ time, Manila’s P44.5-million resettlement project will be ready to house 128 families in Tondo, Mayor Joseph Estrada said on Friday.

The housing project will cover 3.5 hectares of land in Sitio Dubai inside Baseco compound in Tondo to provide new homes for the city’s “poorest of the poor.”

Dubbed as “Dubai Housing,” Manila’s housing program is a joint project of the city government, local organizations and other government agencies.

“Here in Manila, no one is and will be left behind; no single family has been removed from their residence without relocation. In fact, we give them their own house and lots,” Estrada said.

The city government started the housing program last February and has completed 32 housing units ready for occupancy while the remaining 96 are still under construction.

READ: P44-M row houses rising for Manila’s poorest

The mayor seemed fine with the pace of the construction though the project’s completion was moved to a date later than June, which was the initial objective.

City engineer Roberto Bernardo said they are expecting to finish the project by September to October.

According to Bernardo, to help ease the effect of climate change, the new houses will be constructed in “green building design,” which should be energy efficient.

Bernardo also confirmed that the Sitio Dubai housing project will be completely free for Baseco’s long-time residents. Kristina Casandra Tayam/INQUIRER.net trainee/CDG/rga