The National Housing Authority (NHA) Region VI led the groundbreaking ceremony of the Uswag Residential Complex, a low-rise building (LRB) project in Brgy. San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City on February 24, 2022.

NHA Region VI Manager Rizalino G. Cabahug, Iloilo/Guimaras District Manager Fe T. Jamoyot, Chief Corporate Atty. John Leo Solinap, Senator Franklin M. Drilon, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, Iloilo District Congresswoman Julienne L. Baronda, and Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Chairman Rony H. Firmeza were among those present during the ground breaking ceremony.

The Uswag Residential Complex is intended for the informal settler families (ISFs) affected by the local government unit’s (LGU) infrastructure projects and in support of Mayor Treñas’ vision to develop Iloilo City into a premiere city, hence the name “Uswag,” a Cebuano term for “progress.”

Phase 1 of the project covers three lots, totaling 3.0002 hectares of land owned by the Iloilo City LGU to initially generate four low-rise buildings with 60 units each, totaling 240 residential units. Each housing unit will have an average floor area of 24 sqm.

The total contract cost of the first phase of the Uswag project is P199.97 million, funded through the General Appropriations Act (GAA) from the initiative of Ilonggo Senator Franklin M. Drilon. Of the total cost, 89.96% or P179.90 million is allotted for housing construction, while the remaining 10.04% or P20.07 million is for land development.

The ultimate goal for the Uswag Residential Complex is to generate 18 low-rise buildings with 1,080 residential units in total.

Apart from the residential buildings, the residential complex will also include community facilities such as a security guardhouse, passenger loading and unloading area, and materials recovery facilities which will separate the waste of the complex’s residents for recycling.