The Quezon City government has declared parcels of land occupied by squatter families in various locations in the city as socialized housing areas.

Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. signed Ordinance No. SP 1931 S-2009 transforming nine parcels of land in barangays Bagong Silangan, Kaligayahan, Fairview, Santa Lucia, and Baesa as socialized housing sections where informal settlers can gain ownership of lots they occupy.

Through the socialized housing program, the city government enforced the deal on the properties to qualified beneficiaries through direct sale facilitating their ownership of the residential lots.

Earlier, Councilor Jimmy Borres of the third district of Quezon City urged Quezon City residents including the informal settlers to submit themselves to census and surveys conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), local government units (LGUs) and other government agencies.

He said that the minimal inconvenience may pave the way for bigger things adding that government authorities are conducting the operation with the purpose of providing benefits or better living conditions to the public.

“Sana maintindihan na ng mga tao na ang konting sakripisyo ay masusuklian naman ng ganap at malawakang serbisyo mula sa ating pamahalaan local man o national,’’ Borres said.

Since the nine parcels of land will be developed into communities, Belmonte said that their transformation to socialized housing zones will trigger economic development paving the way for the granting of added benefits and exemptions accorded by the LGU and national government to the beneficiaries.

Revenue Memorandum Circular No. 42-01 of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) provides tax exemptions to sellers of real properties in existing areas for priority development (APD) sites and in other areas identified by the LGU as suitable for socialized housing projects under Republic Act No. 7279 known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.

Republic Act 7279 states that it is the policy of the state to undertake a comprehensive and continuing Urban Development and Housing program that provides equitable land tenure, respect for the right of the owners and ensure payment of just compensation to the program beneficiaries.

Belmonte said that the Quezon City government is the owner of the lots covered by the ordinance.