Housing for sectoral groups unveiled

President Estrada has ordered the setting aside of housing units for specific sectoral groups, especially teachers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

The Chief Executive issued the order to Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairperson Leonora V. de Jesus after the successful implementation of a housing program for police and military personnel at the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) complex in Pampanga.

HUDCC Chairperson De Jesus said the President had awarded 510 units to police and military personnel under the Pabahay ni Pangulong Erap Para sa Mga Pulis program.

To accommodate the housing needs of OFWs and teachers, the President issued Proclamation No. 209 authorizing the development of the 158-hectare properties of the Asset Privatization Trust in Dasmariñas and Bacoor, Cavite for socialized and low-cost housing.

De Jesus also said that the ongoing inventory of 50,000 idle or unoccupied housing units may pave the way for special-interest or sectoral groups to apply for immediate occupancy so they can qualify for the available housing units.

The idle or unoccupied housing units cost P180,000 each for socialized low-cost houses and P375,000 for middle level public and private employees. The houses are payable in 30 years.

De Jesus said most of the idle or unoccupied housing units that the President wants to dispose of as early as possible will be offered under a leas-purchase agreement.

Meanwhile, socialized housing for the poor will constitute the biggest bulk of the 350,000 new housing units to be constructed by the Estrada administration for the urban poor this year.

De Jesus revealed that of the 350,000 housing units under the President's Pabahay sa Bagong Siglo program, 240,000 housing units will be under the socialized housing program.

These housing units will each cost P180,000 and below, according to De Jesus, who is also presidential adviser on mass housing.

Of the targetted housing units, 81,000 will be funded by government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), such as the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Pag-Ibig Funds.

De Jesus also said 28,000 housing units will be shouldered by social housing bonds, 10,000 by the AFP housing program, 28,000 by local government units and housing cooperatives, 65,000 under the Community Mortgage and Resettlement Programs, and another 28,000 to be funded by the private sector.

Under the Pabahay sa Bagong Siglo, the GOCCs have set aside P15 billion for their share of 28,000 housing units. The community Mortgage and Resettlement Programs will spend P3 billion for the 65,000 housing units allotted to it.

The open housing portion of the Pabahay sa Bagong Siglo will construct 110,000 housing units costing 500,000 each but not more than P1 million. Of these units, 20,000 will be funded by GOCCs, 40,000 for members of the Philippine National Police and the Department of the Interior and Local Government will be funded by the Pag-Ibig Funds and 500,000 housing units will be funded by the private sector.

The GOCCs have made P10 billion available for the 20,000 open housing units while the private sector is expected to put up the P25 billions for the 50,000 housing units allotted to it.