By Mike Baños
A simple concrete pouring ceremony held on Holy Wednesday is just one of the signs that Barangay Lumbia is ready to join the League of Progressive Uptown Barangays.
Strategically situated in the center of twelve (12) hinterland barangays, Lumbia is leading the boom in Uptown Cagayan de Oro with no less than 58 approved residential subdivisions, 32 of which are now operational.
With a total area of 38.51 square kilometers at an elevation of 165 meters above sea level (masl, or (541.3 feet), the barangay’s population has increased by leaps and bounds from 7,222 (2000) to 14,079 (2010) and to 31,504 (2020) with a current population density of 818.1/km. population density, per the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA).
“We are celebrating the concreting of the Lower Kiam-is Road from Torralba street (formerly F. Delima barangay road) to our Pueblo de Oro La Aldea del Rio housing project,” said Chrysler B. Acebu, Vice President & General Manager, Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (PDO).
The P10-million 450 meter road will replace the previous dirt road which was difficult to access especially on rainy days. A joint undertaking of Barangay Lumbia, El Elyon Realty & Development Corporation and PDO, Mr. Acebu said its completion will significantly affect the timeline for the completion of La Aldea.
The one hectare for the road lot was donated by El Elyon Realty & Development Corp of the Lee Family represented by Mr Alvin Ryan & Mrs Maria Theresa Lee.
“We noted the fast growth of Lumbia and wanted to help provide housing for the people who would be moving in to the barangay,” Mr Lim said.
A portion of the land for the drainage output which links La Aldea’s drainage system to the city and barangay drainage system was donated by Punong Barangay Alexander V. Torralba.
“Barangay Lumbia is ready to support new projects but needs a better water supply which is why we are asking Pueblo de Oro if they can help us,” said Mr. Torralba. Potable water is currently provided to portions of the barangay by a private cooperative and the Cagayan de Oro City Water District (COWD) but Mr. Torralba said the volume is woefully inadequate even for the present needs of their concessionaires.
“We now have so many subdivision in Lumbia with 58 approved and 32 now open, which totals approximately 7,000 housing units. Our roads and drainage networks are now being upgraded and since we are uptown, we have not experienced floods,” he added.
Mr Torralba said Lumbia is also ready to provide social services for the new occupants with the new P50-million 25-bed Cagayan de Oro City Hospital – Lumbia (Infirmary Facility), three elementary schools and two national high schools, in addition to the TESDA District 1 provincial training center now housed in the barangay government compound.
For the near future, the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) has favorably endorsed the LGU’s invitation to set up a satellite campus in the barangay which will initially offer courses in Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Bachelor of Science in Information System, including short-term technical and vocational courses. Students from the hinterland barangays, especially the indigenous people living around the area are expected to benefit from the establishment of the campus.
Pueblo de Oro has started ground works for the 4.2-hectare La Aldea del Rio residential development which has been allowed a five year development period by the Department of Human Settlements and Housing Development (DHSHD) but could be finished sooner with the completion of the Lower Kiam-is access road, Mr. Acebu noted.
Some 435 units of two story town houses with a 44 sq. m. floor area on a 44 sq. m. lot will be made available to the economic housing (Low Cost Level 2) per Memorandum Circular No. 04 series of 2006, (the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council [HUDCC] categorized housing units based on the selling price of the units) at a price range from P2.2 to P2.5 million.
However, it will have more upscale (i.e. Medium Cost) amenities and standard amenities such as entrance gate and guard house, playground and basketball court, and a multi-purpose hall, unlike competing units of the Low Cost Level 2 category.
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