The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) revealed that Western Visayas needs a total of 495,268 housing units to address the region’s current housing backlogs and future needs.
DHSUD-6 director Eva Marie Marfil said that the region’s housing needs represent 7.44 percent of the national housing backlog of 6.5 million units.
Of the total, 346,810 come from the region’s housing backlog for informal settlers since 2013. If this backlog is resolved, the region would need an additional 148,458 units by 2027.
Negros Occidental has the highest housing need with 164,799 units, followed by Iloilo province with 136,628 units, while Antique needs 52,178 units, and Bacolod City with 35.787 units.
Both Capiz and Aklan need 33,975 housing units, Iloilo City 29,948 units, and Guimaras 6,633 units.
Marfil said that the figures are based on the local shelter plans of each local government unit (LGU), covering a 10-year planning period.
Martin added they are in “full blast marketing” mode to attract more LGUs and real estate developers to participate in building socialized housing projects and the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program of the national government.
“We are marketing to developers and contractors because we need them to join hands with us to build this 4PH program,” she said.
DHSUD-6 is targeting to construct 123,817 housing units annually from 2023 to 2026.
Currently, there are 30 housing projects in the pipeline for the region, which are in various stages of development, including initial stages, proposals, ongoing construction and production.
Nine projects are planned for Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, eight each for Iloilo and Capiz, four for Antique, and one for Aklan.
In Bacolod City, the Asenso Yuhum Residences-Arao is the sole project under production with 800 initial beneficiaries confirmed as buyers of the housing units.