The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC) and Ateneo de Zamboanga University (Adzu) recently signed a memorandum of understanding to respond to the challenge of promoting culturally sensitive and community-driven housing programs for the Muslims and other ethnic groups in Mindanao.
Based on data from the Zamboanga City local government, the estimated housing backlog is at 28,000. Some of these can be attributed to the effects of Zamboanga siege in 2013, which displaced almost 14,300 families.
SHFC President Ma. Ana Oliveros said in her speech that the SHFC is committed to expand its community-driven programs, such as Community Mortgage Program (CMP), in order to reach more homeless Filipinos in the country, no matter what religion or group they belong to.
In achieving this, Oliveros emphasized the importance of partnership and the synergy of all sectors involved in the housing process. She also noted the role of housing in ensuring the community’s peace and order.
“Housing can help promote the issue of peace-building, gender equality, among others,” Oliveros said.
For Adzu President Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, the partnership will bridge the gap in providing social-development interventions, such as housing in Zamboanga City, a long-time problem in the city due to multicultural issues.
Adzu has committed to tweak the CMP in order to become responsive to the customs and beliefs of the Muslim community.
It will also provide technical assistance and implement capability building activities for 111 informal-settler families (ISFs) who belong to the multitribal Homeowner’s Association (HOA), a community organization under the CMP.
Also present at the signing was Zamboanga City Vice Mayor Cesar Iturralde, who pledged support in the construction of socialized housing projects for the HOA.
“We’re building better and resilient communities, far better than what they were during the 2013 siege, through the principle of coordination,” Iturralde said.
Prior to the signing, Adzu has facilitated HOA’s community planning session. SHFC, on the other hand, invited Adzu personnel and other Zamboanga stakeholders for a learning exchange activity in various SHFC program sites in Metro Manila to showcase the community-driven approach in housing.