Realty groups urge passage of housing dep’t bill

MANILA, Philippines - The heads of four major national associations of real estate and housing developers are jointly calling for the immediate passage of a bill creating the Department of Housing and Urban Development which would effectively and systematically address the country’s housing needs which is estimated to be already close to four million units.

The associations are the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA) headed by Charlie A. V. Gorayeb, the National Real Estate Association, Inc. (NREA) led by Marissa M. del Mar, the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines, Inc. (OSHDP) led by Engr. Jefferson S. Bongat and the Subdivision and Housing Developers’ Association, Inc. (SHDA) headed by Paul Tanchi.

The groups said that since shelter, along with food and clothing, is one of the three most basic needs of man, provision of the same should enjoy a priority at least equal to tourism, social welfare, environment, education and other fundamental government services, and should be similarly addressed by a full-fledged department rather than just a mere coordinating council.

In a joint statement, the groups emphasized that the proliferation of slums and informal settlements in urban areas clearly manifests the country’s housing problem. Although many communities have been resettled and relocated, the vicious cycle of homelessness remains due to the inadequacy of services and opportunities made available to the relocatees.

According to a study, government allocates less than one percent of the total government expenditures for the housing sector, or less than one-tenth of a percent of GDP on the average. This makes Philippine public spending on housing one of the lowest in Asia.

In the light of the serious socio-political repercussions of the ever-increasing magnitude of homelessness which has ballooned to the present backlog, and the major pump-priming role that housing activity plays in the economy, it is imperative that the government accords the highest priority to housing and urban development, they said.