City eyes 19 properties for housing, land banking projects

The local government is eying the purchase of some nineteen properties within the Baguio, La Trinidad, Tuba and Sablan areas for the city’s socialized housing, employees housing and land banking initiatives to pave the way for increased economic activities and establish adequate sources of livelihood for the people in the said communities.

Aside from the more than 6 hectares of land in Topinao, Poblacion, Tuba that is being purchased by the city for various industrial and socialized housing projects in the future, City Assessor Maria Almaya Addawe disclosed that the price range of the properties that were offered by the owners for possible purchase by the city is around P13 million up to P348 million.

The city’s local finance committee is given up to the first week of July to make a recommendation on which among the available properties will be recommended for purchase by the local government to be used for socialized housing, employees housing and land banking initiatives that will allow the generation of additional resources in the future.

Addawe claimed that among the properties that were offered by the owners to the city for possible purchase include a 1.45-hectare land in Tam-awan, Pinsao Proper worth P61 million a 2.9-hectare property in Lucnab worth more than P104 million; a 2.7-hectare property in Balacbac worth P261 million; another 1.8hectare property in Balacbac worth P127 million; a 3.5-hectare property in Longlong, Puguis, La Trinidad with P157 million, a property in Lamtang covered by agrarian reform titles in Lamtang, Puguis, La Trinidad; a P4.8-hectare property in Alno, La Trinidad worth P13 million; and several properties in Taloy Taloy Sur, Taloy Norte and Poblacion, Tuba and in Bayabas, Sablan.

She stipulated that all the private properties are covered with titles although there are some issues on the titles of some properties which are now being addressed by the owners.

The local government is inclined to purchase some private properties outside the city which will be used for socialized housing, employees housing and land banking projects for the benefit of informal settlers and employees of the city.

According to her, there are still some property owners who have yet to submit the pertinent documents being required by the city for the same to be considered in the ongoing assessment and evaluation on what will be the feasible properties that will be recommended to be purchased for the eventual realization of the projects of the local government.

Addawe committed that the committee will make available its recommendations within the prescribed time frame for consideration by both the executive and legislative departments on what future actions to undertake for the achievement of the goals and objectives of the proposed purchase of private properties to implement the city’s various projects in the future. – Dexter A. See