NAGA CITY — The first 110 Naga City government employees have received the keys to their new homes under a housing initiative aimed at making safe, decent and affordable homeownership more accessible to qualified public workers.
BellaVita Land Corp., the socialized housing arm of Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI), formally turned over the first batch of homes at BellaVita Naga in Barangay Pacol on August 18, marking the initial rollout of a larger housing program that covers 1,011 residential units.
The turnover was led by Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo, together with Pag-IBIG Fund President and Chief Executive Officer Marilene Acosta, Social Housing Finance Corp. President and CEO Frederico Laxa, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Johnson Domingo, and Robert S. Lao, Ayala Land Group head of strategic growth and new ventures and chief sustainability officer.
The housing initiative was established through a Memorandum of Agreement between BellaVita Land Corp. and the Naga City government, providing qualified city government employees an opportunity to acquire homes individually through housing loans from the Pag-IBIG Fund.
The city’s Housing and Settlements Development Office assists qualified employees throughout the process and coordinates with Pag-IBIG Fund to help facilitate home acquisition.
A community already built for families
Unlike housing projects where beneficiaries may have to wait for roads and basic utilities to be completed, the BellaVita Naga community is already developed with essential infrastructure and community facilities.
The residential community in Barangay Pacol features completed homes, roads, water and electricity connections, as well as a multipurpose hall, allowing beneficiaries to move into a neighborhood with basic facilities already in place.
During the turnover ceremony, Mayor Robredo highlighted the advantage of having a fully developed community where families can immediately begin building their lives.
The project demonstrates how partnerships between the public and private sectors can help address the country’s continuing need for affordable housing while giving government employees a more attainable path toward homeownership.
Part of Naga’s broader housing efforts
The BellaVita initiative forms part of Naga City’s broader efforts to expand access to safe, decent and affordable housing.
In June, the city government announced nearly ₱700 million worth of housing initiatives under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program. These include assistance for homeowners’ associations in Barangays Sabang and Mabolo, the Naga City Rental Housing Project in Barangay Lerma, and the Bayanihan Village Transitory Housing Project in Barangay Pacol.
The city’s Employees’ Housing Program, meanwhile, seeks to expand homeownership opportunities for qualified first-time homebuyers through interest-rate support and partnerships with BellaVita Land Corp. and Pag-IBIG Fund.
For Ayala Land, the Naga project further underscores BellaVita’s role in the socialized housing sector by working with local governments to provide housing options for Filipino families and workers who may otherwise find conventional homeownership difficult to afford.
More homes to follow
The initial 110 beneficiaries represent only the first phase of the program. The remaining units covered by the 1,011-home initiative are expected to be turned over in succeeding phases as qualified employees complete the requirements and acquisition process.
The Naga housing program highlights the potential of government-private sector partnerships in addressing the country’s housing needs—particularly when affordable housing is paired with financing assistance, developed communities, and access to basic services.
For the 110 employees who received their keys, however, the project represents more than a housing program. It marks the beginning of a new chapter—one where a house can become a stable home and a community where families can put down roots.
Source: BusinessWorld Online, with additional information from the Naga City Government and Context.ph.
