LAND BANKING. Officials visit a property in Irisan in Baguio City which is being developed and expected to benefit at least 15 families under the socialized housing program of the city government and the National Housing Authority. The city government is looking at 19 more properties aside from an earlier eyed six-hectare property. (PNA photo courtesy of Neil Clark Ongchangco- PIO Baguio)
BAGUIO CITY – The local government is looking at 19 more properties in Baguio, La Trinidad, Sablan, and Tuba areas that can be used for the city’s socialized housing, employee housing, economic activities, and land banking initiatives.
Aileen Refuerzo, chief information officer of Baguio, said on Tuesday that aside from the 19 properties, the city is also purchasing a property in Topinao, Poblacion, and Tuba in Benguet which is about six hectares for various industrial and socialized housing projects.
City Assessor Maria Almaya Addawe during the executive committee meeting of the local government said that the price range of the properties that were offered by the owners for possible purchase by the city is from PHP13 million to PHP348 million.
Addawe said that the land banking strategy of the city will address the very small land area of Baguio that bars the implementation of various social and economic activities amid the increasing cost of properties in the surrounding towns of Benguet.
A few years back, the city had to forego the expansion of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in Baguio.
Texas Instruments Philippines, a United States company engaged in the manufacture of microchips for electronics products had to move its expansion to Clark Pampanga as the city was not able to provide an additional area for what the company is using.
She said that the city plans to pave the way for increased economic activities and establish adequate sources of livelihood for the residents and those from neighboring towns.
"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 next generation of additional resources in the future," Refuerzo said.
The properties that were offered by the owners to the city for possible purchase include a 1.45-hectare land in Tam-awan and Pinsao Proper worth PHP61 million; a 2.9-hectare property in Lucnab worth more than PHP104 million; a 2.7-hectare property in Balacbac worth PHP261 million; and another 1.8-hectare property in Balacbac worth PHO127 million, all in Baguio City.
Also included are a 3.5-hectare property in Longlong, Puguis, La Trinidad worth PHP157 million; a property in Lamtang covered by agrarian reform titles in Lamtang, Puguis, La Trinidad; a PHP4.8-hectare property in Alno, La Trinidad worth PHP13 million; and several properties in Taloy Taloy Sur, Taloy Norte and Poblacion, Tuba and in Bayabas, Sablan, all in Benguet.
All the properties offered are covered with certificate titles although there are some issues with the titles of some properties which are already being addressed by the owners.
The official said that the local government is inclined to purchase some private properties inside and outside the city's jurisdiction.
With the city's interest to purchase properties for its various programs, other property owners have signified interest to sell to the local government.
She said that all the properties will be subjected to assessment and evaluation for their applicability to the programs and projects of the city government. (PNA)
