MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday stated that building up more high-rise houses may help address the country’s housing backlog of more than 6.5 million.
He described how the Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services (BLISS) project of his parents, the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, sought to give the urban poor their own houses and lots.
He said, however, that these were mid-rise houses and may no longer be feasible today due to what he described as a “land shortage” in urban areas.
“Kung maaalala ninyo ‘yung project na BLISS, diyan nag-umpisa ang mid-rise na ilang five story, six story na building…Ngunit ngayon dahil mahirap na, baka siguro pataasin natin. Baka puwede na natin hanggang high-rise na. Ngunit pinag-aaralan natin ‘to. Siguro case to case ito (If you remember the BLISS project, that’s where mid-rise or five to six-story buildings started…But now since it’s difficult, maybe we can build them taller. Maybe we can make high-rise buildings. But we are still studying this since it will be a case-to-case basis),” he said in a speech during the turnover of new houses and lots to 30,000 Filipino families in Naic, Cavite.
The BLISS initiative, which began in 1981, was administered by Marcos’ mother, who was also Minister of Human Settlement at the time.
Marcos emphasized the crucial role of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development in assisting the National Housing Authority (NHA) in ensuring that houses constructed for the poor are in close proximity to their work places.
“Kung minsan ganun ang pakiramdam, parang isang oras ka bago makauwi lalo na sa Maynila. Pero ang aming tinitingnan the travel time mula sa bahay hangga’t sa trabaho ay hindi dapat lalampas sa isang oras (Sometimes it feels like that, it’s as if it takes an entire year before you get home, especially in Manila. But what we want to ensure is that travel time from their homes to work will not take over an hour),” he said.
He also said their homes should also be in close proximity to their children’s schools and near marketplaces.
New homes
Meanwhile, Marcos urged all housing beneficiaries to take good care of their new homes and contribute to their development.
“Sa ating mga beneficiary, sa inyong pagsisimula ng bagong buhay sa inyong mga bagong bahay hangad ko na una mapaganda ninyo ang inyong mga tahanan, ito ay pakamahalin ninyo ng lubusan dahil ito ang magiging sakski ng paguunlad ninyo at ang inyong pamilya (To our beneficiaries, as you start a new life in your new homes, I wish that you first beautify your homes and love it completely because it will be the witness to your and your family’s progress),” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the NHA and concerned agencies and local government units for their commitment to ensuring a successful turnover of houses and lots to all beneficiaries.
He encouraged NHA officials to keep on working to ensure that all Filipinos will have a home that is in close proximity to their livelihood.
He underscored again the need for the NHA and concerned agencies to ensure that these homes are resilient to risks of natural calamities.
“Batid natin ang iba’t ibang uri ng sakuna at problemang dumadaan sa ating bayan kaya naman napakahalaga na masiguro natin na ang mga bahay na ating itinatayo at ipinapamahagi ay mananatiling matibay at tatagal anuman ang maging lagay ng panahon (We are aware of the various types of disasters and problems that pass through our country, which is why it is very important that we ensure that the houses we build and distribute will remain strong and enduring regardless of the weather),” he said.
He also guaranteed the public that his administration would keep working until every Filipino has a place to live.
“Tiwala ako sa pagbubuklod nating lahat, unti-unti nantin mabibigyan ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino ng maayos at abot kayang tahanan (I am confident that by uniting together, we will gradually be able to give every Filipino family a proper and affordable home),” he added.
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