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In quality and quantity, DHSUD delivers Duterte housing legacy

Both in quality and quantity of housing units, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) delivered during its first three years under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Armed with the mandate of assisting and capacitating underprivileged Filipino families in having a decent and sustainable house they can call their home, the Department, under its first ever chief Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, stepped up to the plate despite facing several obstacles.

DHSUD, following its creation in 2019, immediately raised the bar when it came to building affordable yet decent housing units. It likewise changed the urban development landscape by cementing stronger partnerships with local government units and private developers.

The BALAI Munti housing project in Lakeview, Brgy. Putatan, Muntinlupa is a joint undertaking by DHSUD, Pag-Ibig Fund and the Muntinlupa LGU. Under the project, 668 socialized housing units were constructed to benefit city government employees who are also Pag-IBIG members. (DHSUD-CDMRD)

Under the Duterte administration, the country’s annual housing production stood at 197,886 – the highest among previous administrations since 1975. DHSUD also saw to it that all housing units produced during the period were of high-quality.

At the end of 2021, more than 1.08 million housing units and lots were produced and financed by the Department and key shelter agencies. The figure translates to 86 percent of the 1.26-million units targeted under the Philippine Development Plan for the 2016-2022 period.

The National Housing Authority’s Pamalihi IP Housing Project for members of the Higaonon tribe in Barangay Samay, Balingasag town. More Higaonon families stand to benefit from 10 more projects in Regions 10 and 13 intended for members of the indigenous peoples (IPs) spearheaded by DHSUD in partnership with the Philippine Army, the LGU and other government agencies and stakeholders. (DHSUD-CDMRD)

Another significant accomplishment of DHSUD was the crafting and adoption of the 2040 National Housing and Urban Development Sector Plan (NHUDSP), which will serve as a roadmap for future administrations.

Equally important are the measures DHSUD implemented to keep the housing sector on track despite the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the height of the health crisis, DHSUD enforced moratoriums on loan payments to key shelter agencies to help ease public burden. And amidst the pandemic, the Department ensured uninterrupted implementation of housing projects, more importantly the continuity of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of workers.

The three-story Marangal Village Homeowners Association Inc. High Density Housing in Brgy. Longos, Malabon City, another SHFC housing project under its Community Mortgage Program, will benefit some 282 ISFs. (DHSUD-CDMRD)

A total of 233 local government units likewise received DHSUD assistance with regard to updating and ratifying their Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans.

Del Rosario said the ratification of such pacts signifies the government’s commitment to promoting effective land utilization toward ensuring national progress without causing harm to the environment.

Ten newly-completed two-storey buildings inside the 5-hectare Balubal Heights Subdivision Federation Inc. were turned over by DHSUD and the Social Housing Finance Corp. to 240 informal settler families last month. The resettlement site is composed of a total of 40 buildings that can accommodate 900 ISF families. The other buildings are currently in various stages of completion. (DHSUD-CDMRD)

To further minimize the adverse effects of the pandemic, DHSUD crafted real estate development policies and issued directives – 1,437 Licenses to Sell were awarded while Certificates of Registration were bestowed to 36,624 dealers, brokers and salespersons who registered in the last two years.

In giving premium to professionalizing further the housing industry, DHSUD implemented various measures to help achieve its mandate.

DHSUD Sec. Eduardo Del Rosario and Talavera, Nueva Ecija Mayor Nerivi Martinez unveil the DHSUD marker for a housing project that will benefit ISFs in the municipality.

It likewise prioritized the provision of shelter-related assistance to homeowners’ associations or HOAs- it is currently serving 25,621 registered HOAs from across the country. Further, it also revised the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Magna Carta for HOAs.

To enhance DHSUD’s operationalization, management has already filled up 65.46 percent of its workforce, crafted and submitted for funding its Information Systems Strategic Plan and completed the establishment of its 16 regional offices, each fully capable of carrying out DHSUD’s housing programs and policies.

DHSUD Sec. Eduardo Del Rosario turns over a housing unit to a family beneficiary of the Ciudad de Strike Phase I – a SHFC housing project.

Dozens of agreements were likewise finalized with LGUs and private developers in the Department’s goal of establishing stronger partnerships with all housing stakeholders.

These key pacts have resulted in the establishment of not only housing projects, but also evacuation centers in various parts of the country as part of government efforts to boost disaster preparedness.

Kudos to the men and women of DHSUD for carrying out their respective tasks with passion and dedication. Rest assured that the Department will not rest on its laurels. There is still room for improvement and more work needs to be done.

But the future of the housing and urban development sector remains in good hands, thanks to the strong foundations that have been laid under the Duterte administration.

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The article was originally published in The Philippine Star – Property Report PH.

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