JUNE 19, 2011

NR # 2440B

Socialized housing projects bill gets House okay

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill allowing the disposition of government-owned lands for socialized housing projects for poor Filipinos to address the countrys housing problem. House Bill 4578 mandates the Local Government Units (LGUs) to undertake urban development and housing projects for the benefit of the underprivileged and homeless citizens. The right to a decent housing of every Filipino is enshrined in our Constitution. Section 9 of Article XIII states that the State shall, by law, and for the common good, undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a continuing program of urban and land reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost decent housing and basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas, said Rep. Joseph Gilbert Violago (2nd District, Nueva Ecija), one of the authors of House Bill 4578. Rep. Eric Singson, Jr. (2nd District, Ilocos Sur), another author of the bill, said there is a need to improve the governments housing program in order to make available at affordable prices decent housing and basic services to poor and homeless families all over the country. The acute housing problem compounded by indiscriminate squatting in the urban areas necessitates a forward-looking approach to answer this basic need of the people, Singson said. Rep. Winnie Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City), another author of the measure, said there should be continuing update to policies designed to address the problem of housing for the underprivileged if not for the homeless whose number or population has swelled through the years making the problem a constant menu in the countrys development agenda. Consistent with a rationalized land use plan, housing for the underprivileged could be set aside from government-owned lands for homeless Filipinos, Castelo said. Rep. Rodolfo Biazon (Lone District, Muntinlupa City), also an author of the bill, said the housing needs of the underprivileged and homeless in the country is a problem that continuously paints a stark picture for the countrys economic managers and housing czars. Our government is fast running out of available residential lands for its huge and

ever-increasing population. It has to pursue a rational land use plan that will entail the rational allocation of the governments scarce land resources to include housing for the underprivileged, Biazon said. Under the measure to be known as the Idle Government-Owned Lands Disposition Act of 2011, 10 percent of government-owned lands to be sold, alienated and encumbered for development purposes shall be segregated or allocated for socialized housing projects. It directs the conveyance of the segregated land or fund to the National Housing Authority (NHA), for lands owned by the national government intended for the development of socialized housing projects However, for lands owned by the LGU, the segregated land or fund shall be retained by the LGU concerned to be utilized exclusively for its socialized housing projects. The measure authorizes the NHA and the local government unit to enter into a joint venture agreement or other similar agreements with private developers and nongovernmental organizations engaged in housing production. The co-authors of the bill are Reps. Rodante Marcoleta (Party-list, Alagad), Lani Mercado-Revilla (2nd District, Cavite), Romeo Acop (2nd District, Antipolo City), Rodolfo Valencia (1st District, Oriental Mindoro), Catalina Leonen-Pizarro (Party-list, ABS), Edwin Olivarez (1st District, Paraaque City), Amado Bagatsing (5th District, Manila), Rosenda Ann Ocampo (6th District, Manila), Angelo Palmones (Party-list, Agham), Arnel Ty (Party-list, LPGMA), Isidro Lico (Party-list, Ating Koop), Maria Milagros Magsaysay (1st District, Zambales), Elmer Panotes (2nd District, Camarines Norte), Ma. Amelita Calimbas-Villarosa (Lone District, Occidental Mindoro), Romero Federico Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City), Emerenciana De Jesus (Party-list, Gabriela), Pedro Acharon, Jr. (1st District, Cotabato and General Santos City), David Kho (Party-list, Senior Citizens), Bernadette Herrera-Dy (Party-list, Bagong Henerasyon), Rafael Mariano (Party-list, Bayan Muna), Ma. Victoria Sy-Alvarado (1st District, Bulacan), Carlos Padilla (Lone District, Nueva Vizcaya) and Joseph Victor Ejercito (Lone District, San Juan City). (30) lvc