Mandaue City-PDO presents housing, other future projects to CREBA

CEBU CITY – The Mandaue Planning and Development Office (MCPDO) briefed members of the Chamber of Real Estate Builders Association (CREBA)-Cebu chapter of its projects and future developments highlighting housing project opportunities for real estate developers, in a general membership meeting on June 27 at Casino Espanol de Cebu. 

“For real estate and developers, we want to promote housing sector programs and collaborate with developers and real estate companies. In our earlier presentation, Building-2 is in collaboration with Cebu Landmaster Inc. (CLI) which is part of our housing compliance efforts. We are having discussions with other developers like Priland Development Corp., Arn Builders, and WT Construction Inc. for other housing projects,” MCPDO head, Arch/EnP Marlou Ocleasa shared in an interview with the media.

Ocleasa bared that Mandaue City currently faces a housing backlog of approximately 14,000 units and has been chosen as the pilot area for an inclusive green housing micro-finance program targeting low-income families.

The city has a socialized housing project in Barangay Tipolo categorized as a green project.  He also mentioned that the City has identified several locations in Mandaue City for socialized housing projects, including the barangays of Subangdaku, Guizo, Cambaro, Opao, and Looc.

The Mandaue City Council, in 2023 passed an ordinance providing tax incentives for buildings that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize health and environmental impacts.

Some highlights and action items on the MCPDO presentations, discussions

Meanwhile, CREBA-Cebu President Catherine Cusi said that CREBA invited the MCPDO to brief the real estate sector on potential projects that can offer a glimpse into the city's future developments.  She emphasized CREBA's goal of addressing the country’s housing backlog by providing livable, accessible, and decent housing units.

“The housing units should be accessible for families and dwellers and at the same time they should be self-sufficient and able to afford their housing units without depending on the government,” Cusi said.

Most of the conversation with the PCPDO centered around the importance of providing shelter and social transformation for beneficiaries, emphasizing the need for a timeline and funding and stressed on the phase-by-phase component of its plans. 

The challenge, according to the MCPDO officials is changing the mindset of beneficiaries from horizontal to vertical living but stressed on the importance of prioritizing plans and projects and the role of the local government units for the need of a comprehensive and well-funded plan to address the issue of homelessness.

Ocleasa also outlined the vision for resilient city, including housing compliance and social transformation; to collaborate between stakeholders, including Japan, to build socialized housing in the city and discussed housing project with partners, including a joint venture with the future Global Mandaue Reclamation project and plans for a heritage cultural site and a museum library near the church.

Ocleasa’s presentation outlines four action items: To proceed with design phase for joint reclamation project with Global Mandaue; finalize budget details and subsidy amounts for new socialized housing projects; continue stakeholder consultations and ensure buy-in for long-term development plans and to explore partnership opportunities with real estate companies to identify additional housing projects. (Photos: MBCNewman)