Iloilo city: The Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) have granted Certificates of Lot Award (CeLA) worth nearly PHP50 million to members of a homeowners' association in Jaro, Iloilo. This initiative has enabled 367 residents of the Mirasol Village Homeowners' Association Inc. to gain legal ownership of the land they currently occupy.
According to Philippines News Agency, the CeLA serves as official documentation allowing the land under the beneficiaries' homes in Barangay Dungon C, Mandurriao district, to be transferred to them. This is made possible through the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP), part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.
The awarding ceremony was attended by DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, Iloilo City Representative Julienne Baronda, and SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa. During the event, a check exceeding PHP46 million was handed over for SHFC's formal purchase of the land from its current owner. In addition, a grant of over PHP2.5 million was provided to cover the documentary stamp tax on the mortgage.
Laxa highlighted the significance of this event as it concludes the long wait for secure land tenure for the beneficiaries. He emphasized the government's commitment to affordable housing, particularly for communities in Iloilo. Laxa acknowledged the beneficiaries' patience and hardships, stating that the awarding brings an end to their wait for land ownership.
Representative Baronda praised the collaboration between the SHFC and DHSUD, noting that it has turned the long-standing dream of legal land ownership into reality for her constituents. Mirasol Village Homeowners' Association President April Mae Segumalian expressed gratitude to the SHFC, DHSUD, and local government for their efforts in realizing the community's aspirations through the ECMP.
Prior to the awarding, Laxa made a personal visit to the Mirasol community to assess its conditions, demonstrating the government's dedication to understanding and improving local housing situations.
