500,000 HOUSING UNITS. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and Bases Conversion and Development Authority president/chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang and chair Delfin Lorenzana (seated, from left) sign a memorandum of understanding formalizing their partnership under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing Program on July 10, 2023. Some half a million housing units will be built in New Clark City, Tarlac for residents and workers in the former air base, families affected by government projects in the area, state employees and the military. (Photo courtesy of BCDA)
MANILA – Some 500,000 housing units will be built in New Clark City, Tarlac and are expected to benefit residents and workers in the former air base, families affected by government projects in the area, as well as state employees and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the construction.
In a statement on Sunday, BCDA said the MOU signed by DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and BCDA chairperson Delfin Lorenzana and president/chief executive officer Joshua Bingcang, formalized the partnership under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program.
“A city built from scratch, New Clark City is being developed with the needs of the people at the forefront of our master plan. We believe that New Clark City is one of the ideal sites for the Marcos administration's housing program, having the potential to play a key role in addressing the housing shortage in the country,” Lorenzana said.
BCDA said that during the initial discussions, the DHSUD chief proposed the construction of 500,000 housing units inside New Clark City.
Follow-up meetings between top officials of DHSUD and BCDA are set in the coming days to explore the housing plan further.
New Clark City is envisioned to be the country's first smart, green, and resilient metropolis.
The 9,450-hectare greenfield development is being positioned as a world-class city that focuses on liveability and sustainability and is expected to catalyze economic growth in Central Luzon.
Bingcang said that once fully developed, New Clark City will be home to roughly 1.2 million Filipinos.
"With the DHSUD as our partner, the BCDA is confident that we will be able to provide future residents with integrated, people-centered, and sustainable mixed-use developments where they can live comfortably,” Bingcang said.
Acuzar said the MOU is the “joint answer to the call of President Marcos Jr. to assist Filipino families who continue to dream of having a house of their own.”
“With this MOU, the DHSUD and BCDA pool together our resources and expertise in promoting the flagship 4PH Program and help our kababayans (compatriots),” he said.
Acuzar added that the construction of housing units in New Clark City could also help decongest the surrounding highly-urbanized areas and tap the full economic potential of New Clark City.
“There are already government facilities here, we only need to bring in population to spur economic activities. And by putting up decent yet affordable and sustainable housing units, surely, we will attract home buyers,” Acuzar said. (PNA)
