LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - Governor Victor E. Agbayani is pushing the completion of various housing projects as part of his administration’s thrust to provide decent and affordable shelters among low-income families.

“We should intensify efforts to provide socialized housing units to employees, market vendors, drivers, policemen and those belongingto marginalized sectors of the community,” Agbayani said.

Engr. Alvin L. Bigay, head of the Pangasinan Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Office, disclosed that construction of 300 housing units under the Maniboc Socialized Housing Project will soon start.

The National Housing Authority has already conducted an orientation briefing and loan counseling among 127 qualified beneficiaries, Bigay said.

Aside from the Maniboc housing project, the province is also pursuing other projects such as the Libsong East Resettlement located at barangay Libsong East here with an ara of 1.61 hectares.

Gov. Agbayani awarded recently individual homelot certificates to 61 qualified settlers under the Lingayen Gulf Resettlement Project (Phase III).

Likewise, the 149-unit Bolinaoville Socialized Housing Project located at barangay Liwa-Liwa in Bolinao is a 2.4 hectare site donated by the province to the Bolinao Damayan Homeowners Association, whose members are local government employees, public school teachers, PNP and AFP members from Bolinao town.

Aside from providing the lots, the province is extending other forms of assistance by developing the land, providing relocation equipment and facilitating the provision of water and electric utilities.

Earlier, Gov. Agbayanii created the Provincial Housing Trust Fund to establish a steady source of revenue for the development of various low-cost housing projects in the province.

Bigay said under the socialized housing program of Gov. Agbayani, the province has been able to develop two resettlement sites and five low-cost housing projects benefiting a total of 1,474 families since 1995, including the housing lots in barangay Talogtog here which were awarded recently. (PIO/Jennifer P. Domantay)