The Manila city government distributed Lot Awards to 34 families in Sta. Ana under its "Land for the Landless" program on Thursday.
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, who led the awarding, said providing decent shelters to every family in the city has always been his priority since he can relate to their experiences.
Before he became an actor and a politician, Domagoso lived a poor life and worked as a trash collector and pedicab driver.
"Alam ko ang pakiramdam ng isang taong, galing ka sa trabaho, hindi mo alam kung 'yung bahay mo, pag-uwi mo, nandoon pa dahil 'yung lupang kinatatayuan ng bahay mo ay hindi iyo (I know the feeling of a person who, after working, will wonder if his house is still there when he comes home, because the land where his house is standing is not his)," he said in his speech.
Three public housing structures are already being built under the "Land for the Landless" program, including the Tondominium 1, Tondominium 2, and Binondominium.
The city government is also planning to build the Basecommunity.
They will also acquire 191.05 hectares of land for development into “socialized housing projects” for 14,785 households living at "critical zones" from 2020 to 2025.