Housing sector under VP Binay gaining ground

By OVP Media
July 23, 2013

MANILA – The housing sector under Vice President Jejomar C. Binay’s leadership continues to gain ground in its duty to provide Filipinos with decent and affordable housing.

The Vice President’s accomplishment report over the last three years shows that the housing sector has been able to serve 333,133 families, 68 percent of which belong poor and low-income families.

It also indicated that the housing sector has generated about 2.5 million jobs since 2010.

“Sa bawat isang daang trabaho na nagagawa sa pagtatayo ng bahay, labing-walong dagdag na trabaho pa ang nalilikha sa iba’t ibang industriya tulad ng pagawaan ng pako, yero, hollow blocks, semento at iba pa,” the Vice President explained.

Binay also continues to initiate reforms in the housing sector through persistent efforts to bring to justice Globe Asiatique owner Delfin Lee.

The case against GA stemmed from an investigation which shows GA using ghost borrowers and fake documents to siphon more than P6 billion loans from Pag-IBIG.

“We will pursue our fight for justice for the ordinary Filipino workers who have been victimized by Globe Asiatique,” he said.

The Supreme Court (SC) also decided to junk the petition filed by Lee which sought to stop the Department of Justice (DOJ) from prosecuting him in connection with the syndicated estafa charges filed against him and other executives of Globe Asiatique Realty and Holdings Corp (GA).

Delfin Lee and his son, Dexter, remain at large, with President Aquino offering a P2 million bounty for their capture.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG has reported in May 2013 that it has generated P9.28 billion in dividends.

“Through a policy of prudent fiscal management and other reforms, we were able to improve the services of the agency and make it more profitable. And now, Pag-Ibig has bolstered its status as one of the country's premier GOCCs or GFIs – fully deserving of its 'A' classification,” Binay said.

In 2011, Binay unveiled a “rent-to-own program” by Pag-IBIG for public utility drivers and operators. The program was part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Pag-IBIG Fund and seven transport groups, with more than 200,000 drivers and operators expected to benefit from it. An MoU between the Fund and the Department of Education for a Home-Matching and End-User Housing Loan program for teachers who had no homes of their own was also initiated that year.

In the same year, the Vice President also led the implementation of Administrative Order No. 9 for the construction of houses for 21,800 soldiers and police officers.

Plans for a “Working People’s Shelter Program” were also revealed by Binay August last year which he said could lead to the construction of more houses for the poor.

"The employer-private partner advances the Pag-ibig Fund membership dues and also guarantees the payment of housing units. The Pag-ibig Fund releases the developmental loan to the employer, who will then engage a private developer to undertake housing construction, or via a retail loan to the buyer or employee. If the beneficiary fails to pay, the employer buys back the housing unit and commits to replace the buyer or employee," he explained.

According to Binay, the scheme would result in more collaborations as national and local government agencies seek to provide the community's basic requirements such as health and education.

Binay had also stressed the need for close collaboration among private sector developers, LGUs, and urban planners in relocating informal settler families to safer communities.

"The urgent need now is to relocate the affected families not only to safe places but also to areas that provide basic services and a sustainable environment. It is also our priority to remove informal settler families (ISFs) from danger areas," the Binay said.

"To achieve this, I propose to continue to bring together closely private sector developers, the LGUs, and urban planners. Then let us put our heads together with other local and international organizations who understand urban development and housing in the light of climate change. Then we integrate all our approaches,” Binay added.

The housing sector had also responded to the various typhoons and monsoon-caused floods last year through Binay’s declaration of moratoriums on the payments of loans to key shelter agencies by families affected by disaster.

A three month moratorium on housing loan amortizations was implemented by Pag-IBIG, Home Guaranty Corporation, and the NHA, while the National Housing Finance Corporation implemented a six month moratorium for victims of typhoon Pablo in December.

The KSAs also donated P3.6 million for relief goods for the typhoon victims, as well as conducted relief drives in affected areas.

In the wake of the massive flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in August, the NHMFC also implemented a six month moratorium.

Binay also directed Pag-IBIG to set up satellite offices and operate during holidays to be able to respond quickly to requests for loans and provide other services to affected families.

Pag-IBIG members in areas declared to be under state of calamity are now also allowed to borrow as much as 80 percent of their total contributions at an interest rate of 5.95 percent. The loan shall be amortized in 24 months with a grace period of three months.

The Vice President also encouraged Filipinos working in strife-ridden countries to avail of the Pag-IBIG’s Special Assistance Program.

Under the program, members may withdraw their total savings without having to wait for 20 years for their membership to mature. They may also avail of a 6-month moratorium on their housing and short-term loan payments.

A project collaboration between the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the World Bank has also resulted in the formulation of the National Informal Settlements Upgrading Strategy (NISUS) that will be used to create a Comprehensive Shelter Plan for ISFs.

The shelter plan aims at ensuring that ISFs will have access to basic social services such as schools, public markets, health care centers, and livelihood opportunities at the resettlement areas. The said project also guarantees that resettled families will have decent homes that will nurture their hopes and affirm their dignity.

Binay said the government has also started the construction of housing units that will benefit various indigenous groups throughout the country.

At the start of the year, the National Housing Authority, the Office for Southern Cultural Communities - Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (OSCC-ARMM) and the local government of Sibutu had allied to provide houses to 2,000 Badjaos located along the shores of Barangay Nunucan and Mochton in Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi.

Under the agreement, the Indigenous Peoples Community (IPC) in Tawi-Tawi under the Sibutu Badjao Resettlement Program will be benefited with 100 stilt houses, foot bridges and a septic tank.

In August 2012, the Vice President also led the awarding of an initial 16 housing units to Nabuklod Aeta families who were qualified under the NHA’s Housing Assistance Program for Indigenous Peoples (HAPIP) in Nabuklod Upland Resettlement Project in Brgy. Nabuklod, Floridablanca.