Quezon City buys land for 1,800 families

QUEZON CITY , Philippines — The Quezon City government has purchased a 14-hectare property to facilitate the transfer of land titles to some 1,800 informal settler families in Barangays Bagong Silangan and Payatas.

Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday led the signing of the deed of absolute sale of the private properties owned by Tofemi Realty Corp. and Kanejin Corp. to the city government.

“This is the fulfillment of my promise to you that you will have a home that you can call your own,” the mayor told the beneficiaries in Filipino. “This is a fulfillment of our promise of a housing program for our citizens.”

Belmonte said the city government decided to purchase the properties to provide secure housing for the residents.

The sale would enable the city government to implement a socialized housing program, which would allow the residents to purchase the properties where they live at a low cost in a span of 25 years.

The total amount of the properties has yet to be released.

Belmonte said the city government continues to look for areas in the city where they can relocate some 16,000 residents living near rivers and creeks.