China has pledged to build one million mass-housing units for poor Filipinos and erect an industrial park in Clark Field, Pampanga for large- and medium-size factories, according to Speaker Jose de Venecia, who arrived in Manila on Saturday.

The Speaker led a delegation of congressional and economic managers on a 10-day, 10-city tour of China to drum up support for the low-cost housing program and the proposed industrial park.

Guangdong and Shandong, ranking first and second respectively in China¡¯s top gross domestic product (GDP) list, showed interest in financing part of the 1 million low-cost houses in the Philippines. Each province has a population of more than 90 million.

"Two of China's biggest provinces have shown interest in taking part in the construction of pre-fabricated housing factories in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao," said De Venecia.

The proposed housing units would be "anti-typhoon, anti-earthquake and anti-termite" and materials would cost much less than those imported from Europe and the United States, he said.

De Venecia said the top leaders of Guangdong and Shandong also agreed to support large-scale Philippine fisheries programs which include setting up 2,000 fish cages in the sea and the rehabilitation of 250,000 hectares of coastal and inland fishponds.

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