Construction will begin on another one of the Manila city government's public housing projects, with Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso leading the groundbreaking ceremony at a site on Delpan Street in Binondo Thursday morning (July 23).
The Binondominium 1 will be a 15-story building with a total of 126 units. Each unit will have an area of 40 square meters and have two bedrooms.
A budget of P401,250,000 was allocated for the project. Construction is expected to take a year and a half.
Domagoso said informal settlers have a right to a decent home.
"Kahit tayo ay squatter, ay hindi natin kailangan maging dugyot. May dignidad sa pagiging squatter dahil sila ay mga tao rin (Even if we informal settlers, we do not have to be dirty. There is dignity in being an informal settler because they are also people)," he said in his speech.
"I really wanted to be the best, I wanted to give you the best. Kung gagawin lang natin 'yon, gawin na nating tama at disente (If we are going to do this, let's make it right and decent)," he added.
Domagoso recalled that it was one of his campaign promises to provide housing for the homeless.
Earlier, the city government broke ground for Tondominiums 1 and 2 at Vitas, that can house up to 336 informal settler families.
It is also preparing the Baseco resettlement area, to which some 650 informal settler families will be moved.
The public housing projects are part of Domagoso's "Build Build Manila" program and "Land for the Landless" project.