The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD), through Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” L. Acuzar, affirmed on Monday, October 10, 2022, that they will help City Mayor WES Gatchalian and the City Government of Valenzuela in their housing projects for the city. This took place during the official visit of the Secretary to Valenzuela City’s flagship in-city housing project, the Disiplina Village Bignay.

As part of its mandated responsibilities from the national government, the DHSUD has to ensure and monitor the establishments for housing, human resettlement, and urban development. Moreover, it is also the government agency that mainly focuses on the access and affordability of the basic human needs.

Despite of the multiple efforts of the national government to completely relocate the Informal Settler Families (ISFs) to a safer place, the mission seems to be impossible as the number keeps increasing as the years move on.

DHSUD Sec. Acuzar laid down President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. plans regarding the national government’s housing programs. According to Sec. Acuzar, President Marcos administration wishes to provide proper housing to the people and completely end the problem on (ISFs) once and for all. This housing projects, however, will focus more on the minimum wage earners as the primary beneficiaries, for the reason that they are part of the tax-paying citizens and that they are more deserving to benefit from the said government program. Furthermore, the national government seeks for the return of investment or ROI from the housing units that they are planning to build, as the funds collected from the housing will be used to provide more houses for the people.

On the other hand, Valenzuela City is known for its Disiplina Villages, the response to the ever-increasing number of ISFs in the city. This program aims to clean and develop waterways in communities and make Valenzuela City, not only more pleasing to the eye, but also safer as no more structures to block the waterways. It was the long-term solution that the local government had come up to transfer the people dwelling along the dangerous areas and waterways to safer and decent homes and communities. This created a benchmark for other LGUs across the country in their own resettlement programs. From the word itself Disiplina, residents living in the village are in good neighborhood sealed with peace and harmony.

In the present, the Housing and Resettlement Office (HRO) – Valenzuela, headed by Ms. Elenita M. Reyes have their future plans for the ISFs under the administration of Mayor WES. HRO – Valenzuela is planning to transform the remaining local government-owned spaces into another Disiplina Villages by building more houses for the Valenzuela citizens. The City Government of Valenzuela is eyeing to manifest this housing projects in several sites, such as Barangay Arkong Bato, Barangay Malinta, and Barangay. Ugong.

As it was mentioned, the national government will support the Valenzuela City in its housing programs, as they also vow to reduce or completely end the continuous increase in the number of informal settlers in the country. With this, the City Government of Valenzuela and the DHSUD will work hand-in-hand in building homes for Valenzuela citizens.

###