Optimistic that the real estate sector would “pump-prime” the economy, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) vowed to launch more housing projects in collaboration with other government agencies, Philstar reported. The agency believes that such an initiative would facilitate recovery from the pandemic.
Housing czar Eduardo del Rosario noted that 80 industries are connected to the development of housing units. It can generate employment opportunities for Filipinos, he said.
Real estate activities that resumed after the government eased quarantine measures in June 2020 saw 55,000 employees going back to work. This supported people’s financial needs amid the pandemic.
Home for Filipinos
Reiterating that housing is a right, Secretary del Rosario said that they continue to partner with key shelter agencies to create “resilient and sustainable communities.” The agency is likewise reinforcing its collaboration with the private sector.
According to the housing department, 81 percent of families want to have their own home. For this reason, the agency is streamlining its processes, from issuing certifications to property developers to improving basic utilities provided in housing projects.
Recently, Secretary del Rosario signed the department order titled Deferment of Submission of Proof of Compliance to the Balanced Housing Development Program (BHDP), which aims to accelerate the issuance of licenses to sell (LS), Business Mirror reported.
With the deferment, real estate companies can secure a certificate of registration or LS and apply for accreditation within the first half of the target completion of the main project, which is indicated in the LS.
The new rules apply to subdivision and condominium projects, socialized housing in a new settlement, joint-venture socialized housing projects with local government units, housing agencies, and nongovernment organizations.
Meanwhile, the DHSUD also recently inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Alpha-3 Technologies to provide reliable Wi-Fi services in government housing projects, Manila Standard reported. Called BALAI-Net, the initiative involves equipping households with a bandwidth of up to 100 Mbps, a guaranteed 99.99 percent uptime, and a redundant network.
The project will benefit residents of resettlement sites nominated and selected by the housing department, the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC).
Urgency to Build
Yesterday, a committee in the House of Representatives adopted a resolution that seeks to declare a housing crisis in the country, according to CNN Philippines.
According to the resolution, there are 1.898 million informal settler families in the country. Over 470,000 of them live in Metro Manila. From July 2016 to June 2020, the government and the private sector built only 777,879 housing units, which is notably inadequate to accommodate the 6.796 million housing units targeted for 2022. Regulatory and land costs, as well as funding hampered housing development.
The resolution cited the urgency to solve the housing crisis and especially support families living in danger zones, considering the impact of climate change and the frequency of natural disasters in the country.
The solons called on the DHSUD and other government agencies to draft an inventory of idle government land and to accelerate the construction of socialized housing in partnership with private companies.
Tasked to support the development of “secondary cities and growth areas” outside Metro Manila, the National Economic and Development Authority will build settlement areas that provide opportunities and support to communities. The Department of Finance, meanwhile, will offer incentives for the private sector to push active involvement in the housing projects.
LGUs on the Move
While the national government is stepping up its efforts to address the housing backlog, local government units, especially those in the capital region, are likewise sharing in the task of providing homes for constituents.
Recently, the Manila city government bought private land for P111 million in a bid to house more than 600 families, as mentioned in this Manila Bulletin article. The 6,003-square meter land is located along Pasig Line in Sta. Ana, Manila.
Last year, amid the pandemic, the local government began construction on the three vertical housing projects, namely Tondominium 1, Tondominium 2, and Binondominium.
Back in December, Tribune reported that Valenzuela would begin its socialized housing project in January of 2021. The 34-building initiative is expected to accommodate some 1,632 families living in flood and fire-prone zones in the city.
The SHFC funded the acquisition of the six-hectare land in Laon for P123.4 million. The agency will likewise finance the site development and building construction.
Article and Photo originally posted by Lamudi last March 15, 2021.
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