With the city currently facing a shortage of 4,347 homes, Quezon City Councilor Aiko Melendez, chairman of the Committee on Subdivision, Housing and Real Estate, called on Congress to allocate a larger portion of the proposed P5.768 trillion 2024 national budget to the housing sector led by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
Quezon City, known as the largest city in the Philippines, is home to millions of residents, and affordable housing has remained a critical issue for many.
According to available data, the housing deficit in Quezon City is staggering.
“With thousands of families in dire need of suitable housing, it is imperative for both the local and national governments to unite in providing a secure roof over the heads of our less fortunate countrymen,” Councilor Melendez emphasized.
She thus sought Congress’s intervention in providing much-needed relief to those in need of affordable housing in Quezon City.
Councilor Melendez said that an increased budget allocation for the housing sector in the 2024 national budget can significantly contribute to addressing this crisis not only in Quezon City but all throughout the country.
While the city has made strides in the housing sector through the efforts of Mayor Joy Belmonte, there is still much work to be done, she said.
From July 2022 to June 2023, 183 housing units were constructed as part of various in-city housing projects of Mayor Belmonte.
These projects have helped provide homes for some families, but the demand far exceeds the supply, Councilor Melendez said.
Currently, Quezon City is actively working on five housing projects under the leadership of Mayor Belmonte: Gulod Community 2 and 3, Sauyo, San Agustin, and Bagong Silangan.
These projects collectively aim to add 184 housing units to the city’s inventory, Councilor Melendez said.
“We need a more substantial budget allocation to expedite the construction of additional homes and meet the city’s growing housing demands. I plead to our lawmakers and the housing department to prioritize the housing projects in Quezon City,” Councilor Melendez said.
“As public servants, it is our duty to ensure that every family has a place they can call home,” she concluded.
