Iloilo LGU to buy lot for landless CH workers

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - — The Iloilo City government is eyeing to purchase a lot within the city for landless City Hall employees once the controversial Pavia housing site at Brgy. Ungka in Pavia, Iloilo is sold.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the Pavia housing project site was earlier intended to provide homes and land for landless City Hall employees and once this is sold; its proceeds will also go to the same purpose.

The Iloilo City Council, through a resolution, has authorized the mayor to enter into negotiation in the bidding process of the 6.9-hectare abandoned housing project.

Mabilog said the public auction was already published twice to the national newspaper but no interested bidder came out. He admitted there were several interested buyers but they do not want to participate in the bidding.

Last year, the Commission on Audit has already given the city LGU a go signal to sell the property at P3,710 per square meter to help fund various development and infrastructure projects of the city. The last public auction was August 31, 2011 but failed after no interested bidders submitted their intention to join the bidding.

After the failed bidding twice, Mabilog confirmed that the COA has already approved the city government's request of reducing the selling price of the lot from P3,710 to P 2,500 per square meter.

The proceeds of this sale will be used to buy another lot along the national road, going to the Iloilo International Airport at the Sta. Barbara-Cabatuan junction in Iloilo for the construction of 300 low-cost houses for the city government employees.  (FREEMAN)