Gov’t allots P11 B for housing

MANILA, Philippines - The Aquino administration has allocated P11 billion to build affordable homes to provide shelter to those living in danger zones and those affected by infrastructure projects.

According to the Department of Budget and Management, a bigger portion of the total budget or about P7.3 billion would cover the relocation of 15,682 families to better communities.

Around P577 million will also go to the National Housing Authority (NHA) to move 7,215 informal settler families (ISFs) residing in danger zones.

In case of disaster, the NHA will get P736 million more to provide emergency housing assistance to 26,426 victims of calamities.

“The administration is ensuring Filipinos’ universal right to housing by giving them a chance to own their own homes. What’s more, placing them in safe communities where they can live and work is a proactive approach to safeguard our people from natural disasters,” Budget Secretary Butch Abad said.

The Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC) will be assisting 16,500 families to acquire their homes with a budget of P1 billion.  The money will come from the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. (NHMFC).

On the other hand, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will receive P1.2 billion to provide informal settler families with housing units as well as rental assistance to beneficiary-families.

Apart from this, about P100 million will cover housing for 341 families of uniformed personnel, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).

“The Administration’s efforts to give opportunities to our countrymen isn’t limited to job-generation, but also a chance for homeownership. This is an important part of the inclusive growth the administration is trying to develop, where every Filipino can have a chance of finding a place they can call their own,” Abad said.