SOCIO ECONOMIC PROFILE  6
 

HOUSING

Profile:

Based on the 1995 Census on Population, Cotabato City has a total population of 146,779 with 27,012 dwelling units. For an average household size of 5.4, the total household population is 27,181.00.

By year 2000, the population is projected to reach 169,552 with a household population of 31,399. Basically, the city requires mass housing production brought about by in-migration and population growth. High cost of construction materials also contribute to the city's housing backlog. Below is the summary of new dwelling units needed due to backlog and population growth.

Significant housing requirements including security of tenure was noted in order to meet the city's housing backlog. In 1988, the Community Mortgage Program was introduced through the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation. The program is a credit facility aims to provide financial assistance to urban poor groups purposely for land acquisition. The City Government on the other hand, acted as originator, whose function is to assist the beneficiaries in complying the requirements and facilitate the processing of documents. Table 37 shows the list of seven (7) Urban Poor Associations who have benefited under this program.

Cognizant of the situation wherein beneficiaries have encountered difficulties in complying the requirements provided under the CMP, the City Government introduced the Social Credit for Housing Purposes, a zero interest credit facility patterned after the CMP. Although these programs were successfully implemented in terms of its objectives, the same were suspended due to the inefficiency of some urban poor groups to meet the required monthly amortization. Apparently, these programs for land acquisition should be supplemented to meet the demand of an ever increasing population.

Recent study shows that there are approximately 1,558 families illegally occupying government-owned lots and road-right of ways. This figure does not include illegal occupants of privately owned lots.

In response to this, the City Government developed a resettlement project at Malagapas, Rosary Heights 10, portion of the 34.00 hectares City-owned estate. This aims to optimize the use of the city's Property to pave the way for infrastructure projects that would lead to the commercial and social services expansion of the city, and at the same time provide security of tenure to its land less constituents through the on-site resettlement component of the 34.0 hectare city-owned property.

In addition, the City Government advocates for the organization of urban poor groups specially the families illegally occupying the road-right of ways. Once organized, they will be assisted in the identification of sites for socialized housing, and sourcing out of funds for land acquisition. This local government unit also facilitates the conduct of regular activities such as the City Shelter Forum and Urban Poor Assembly which is being participated by the representatives of the National Shelter Agencies, Urban Poor Sector, Private developers and other stakeholders in housing development. These activities serve as a conduit for interaction and consultation regarding National Shelter Programs designed to uplift the living conditions of the urban poor and eventually abate the proliferation of squatters.

The number of dwelling units needed due to population growth is estimated to reach 15,755 by year 2008. Correspondingly, it requires a total land area of 236.33 hectares for a 150 square meter lot per dwelling unit. To include housing requirements due to backlog and population growth, the required number will increase to 17,640 dwelling units with a corresponding land area requirement of 264.6 hectares.

Development Issues / Problems:

  1. As previously mentioned, in-migration and population growth contributes to the city's housing backlog. Slums and blighted areas continuously grow brought about by unabated influx of settlers and illegal construction. This is typical among urban cities warranted by the availability of economic and education opportunities
  2. In addition, the city is bounded by two major rivers and criss-crossed bu creeks and rivulets. Its natural topography lies approximately 2.0 meters below sea level, hence access to potential socialized housing sites as well as on-site land development requires bulk earth filling resulting to high cost of land development
  3. Apparently, the government could not address the shelter need without the participation of other stakeholders such as the private sector. To encourage such, there is a need to institutionalize the Socialized Housing One-Stop Processing Center (SHOPC) in order to streamline bureaucratic procedures and requirements in the issuance of permits and licenses
  4. Government programs designed to provide credit assistance should come up with a financial scheme with longer and affordable terms of amortization.
For the next ten years, Cotabato City proposes residential expansion of 441 hectares to meet the increasing demand on housing. This is to accommodate the needed 17,640 dwelling units, vis-a-vis an ideal 250 sq.m. lot per dwelling unit. Proposed sites for socialized housing includes areas acquired through the Community Mortgage Program with an aggregate area of 150,508 square meters; through Social Credit Program with an aggregate area of 181,642 sq.m.. Other urban poor associations who have applied loans for land acquisition under the financing programs of the city government, manifested their intention to utilize their respective areas for Socialized Housing. These are the Lumayon Homeseekers Association located in Poblacion Mother with an area of 4,814 square meters; San Lorenzo Ruiz Urban Poor, located at Barangay Tamontaka 1 with 62,912 sq.meters; and Malosa Urban Poor Inc., located at Barangay Poblacion 4 with 6,200 sq.meters. This brings the total land area intended for future socialized housing sites to 406,076 square meters.

Goals / Objectives

Goals :

  1. Provision of adequate and acceptable dwelling units to the city's residents
  2. Optimize residential use in identified residential areas
  3. Establishment of a residential density pattern that will produce desirable concentration of residences and will not over burden the local community facilities or cause congestion
  4. Offer variety of dwelling types and to provide housing opportunities for a wide section of the population
Objectives :
  1. To relocate squatters occupying government own or private lands and those living in danger zones of the city to a relocation site at the Canizares Estate;
  2. To be able to provide adequate site, services and sources of livelihood to relocated families;
  3. To curtail nefarious activities of squalting syndicates and control the growth of squatters colonies and unplanned settlements through the enforcement of the city's zoning ordinance;
  4. To encourage private investment in real estate and housing development;
  5. to advocate for appropriate legislation and to regulate speculative land market;
  6. to undertake area upgrading of squatter colonies which cannot be relocated and possibly grant them ownership of the land they occupy through the national housing program;
  7. to provide off-site infrastructure facilities to projects catering to urban poor sector; and
  8. To promote cultural sensitivity, respect for the environs and consideration for affordability in packaging housing developments
  9. To encourage investment in housing development, and in the formation of cooperatives
  10. To campaign / lobby for broader participation of national housing agencies in the city;
Strategies / Policies:

In implementing its housing development program, the city shall be guided by the following strategies/policies:
  1. Active government participation and leadership in the housing program through the government social housing project and provision of incentives to private developers.
  2. Institutionalization of the Cotabato City Urban Development and Housing Board, created by virtue of City Ordinance No. 652, series of 1995.
  3. To enforce City Ordinance No. 1287, series of 1998, "setting aside twenty (20%) percent of the annual real estate taxes for land acquisition, housing development and for other purposes."
  4. Strengthening the Development of Housing Programs through cooperatives.
  5. Strong linkages to all local government units to support for shelter concerns; and
  6. Coordinate with private / government financing institutions to provide seed capital for small scale and micro-industries as source of livelihood of relocated families.
  7. To undertake housing projects as requirement in RA 7279 and to alleviate the housing shortage via the Mass Housing Program of President J. E. Estrada.
Development Requirements / Needs:
  1. To implement the Shelter Plan of the city by year 2000
  2. To address the housing backlog by 20% per year starting year 2000 to 2005
  3. Creation of Cotabato City Housing Corporation to facilitate provision of houses to the city residents by year 2001
  4. Increase annual allocation for CCHC financing by at least 50% in year 2000
  5. Assistance for the formation of housing cooperatives for accredited homeowners association by year 2001
  6. Training for implementation, planners and program beneficiaries
  7. Technical assistance to Presidential Commission on Urban Poor through the study on utilization of appropriate indigenous housing technology by year 2001 - 2003
  8. Preparation of study on affordability, and alternative financing scheme and market prospects before undertaking housing projects by the city government and private developers
  9. Investment Promotion for private sector participation in low-income housing development in the city for beneficiaries of socialized housing projects in identified barangays by year 2001
  10. Lobby for greater engagement of housing agencies in the city
  11. Advocacy for the regulation of speculative land market and banning of broker for projects for the urban poor
  12. Implementation of Socialized Housing Projects under Republic Act 7279 in barangays Rosary Heights 10 and Kalanganan Mother by year 2001
     

 
 

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