GMA at CREBA, HUDCC confab

President Arroyo will be the keynote speaker at the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Associations (CREBA) and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) National Convention at the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel in Bacolod City on Oct. 18-20.

Convention theme is "Housing: Key to National Healing and Economic Recovery," it is the prelude to the Housing Summit to be convened by the President in Manila on Oct. 30. CREBA national president Charlie V. Gorayeb and Purita R. Soliven, CREBA vice president for internal affairs and national convention chairperson, will welcome the convention delegates. Dr. Jaime A. Cura, immediate past CREBA national president, will be the master of ceremonies.

During the housing policy forum, Secretary Michael T. Defensor, presidential housing adviser and concurrently HUDCC chair, will talk on "Housing: Policy and Directions." Rep. Prospero C. Nograles (first district, Davao City), chairman of the House committee on housing, and Sen. Francisco K. Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate committee on housing, resettlement and urban development, will discuss the priority legislative housing agenda, while Rep. Eduardo C. Zialcita (lone district, Parañaque City) will talk on House Bill 1300, known as the Omnibus Housing and Urban Development Act which he principally authored.

A property development forum will be held with CREBA director Techie T. Bautista as overall coordinator. Speakers on the issue "How Developers are Coping with the Crisis" are Anthony Charlemagne Yu, president, Empire East Land Holdings Inc.; Ricardo Pascua, president, Metro Pacific Corp.; Andrew Gotianun, president, Filinvest Development Corp.; Frederick D. Go, chief operating officer second vice president, Robinsons Land Corp.; Demetrio I. Posadas, chairman, Fortune Star Construction and Development Corp.; Rafael A. Poblador, president, Satellite Housing Contractors and Development Corp.

Donald G. Dee, president of the Employers Confederation of the Phils., will talk on corporate housing relative to employee productivity, while Wilhelm G. Ortaliz, deputy direct general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority will discuss "Real Estate Development Opportunities in the Eco Zones."

The other speakers are: Lt. Gen. Jose M. Calimlim, chairman, AFP Housing Board, the AFP housing program; Ernesto S. Pangan, Department of Education undersecretary for finance and administration, teachers’ housing program; Architect Prosperidad A. Luis, national president, United Architects of the Phils., "Innovative Housing Designs; and Engr. Isidro A. Consunji, president, Philippine Contractors Association, Infrastructure Development in Support of Housing.

Housing delivery workshops will be conducted with Rosemarie C. Basa, CREBA public relations officer; and Atty. Cesilo A. Adaza, chair, CREBA Cagayan de Oro chapter, as overall coordinator.

Presentors on housing regulations and requirements are Commissioner-CEO Romulo Q. Fabul of Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Agrarian Reform Secretary Hernando A. Braganza and Administrator Senicio O. Ortile, Land Registration Authority.

The workshops on housing targets and production will have general manager Edgardo D. Pamintuan of National Housing Authority; president Angelico T. Salud, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp.; and president Gonzalo Bongolan, Home Guaranty Corp. Demetrio L. Posadas, CREBA VP-chapter affairs, as facilitator and Engr. Manuel T. Ramos, as rapporteur. Presentors at the housing finance workshop are president-CEO Manuel C. Crisostomo of Pag-IBIG Fund, president Corazon dela Paz of Social Security System, vice president Teresita S. Liwanag of Development Bank of the Phils., senior vice president Rodrigo B. Supeña of Land Bank of the Phils., president Placido Mapa of Bankers Association of the Phils.; and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Rafael B. Buenaventura. Choy L. Alas and Florante C. Ofrecio of CREBA will be facilitator and rapporteur, respectively.

Jaime C. Millan, chair of the CREBA Youth, will preside the signing of agreements under the CREBA Business Matching program. If is aimed at matching the resources, services and needs of CREBA members with those of others through mutually beneficial complementation.

Avelina P. Acuña, CREBA vice president for external affairs, is overall convention vice chair, while John Marie Lizares is overall vice chair for the CREBA Negros Occidental chapter. Other chairpersons of convention committees are Teresita C. Millan, budget; Jerry M. Navarrete and Lilia T. Aaron with Alan L. Ang and Franklin Fuentebella of Bacolod, ways and means; Techie P. Bautista, Domingo D. de Vera, program; Editha L. Mananzala, souvenir magazine; Demetrio L. Posadas, invitations; Florentino S. Dulalia Jr., attendance; Rosemari C. Basa press relations and marketing; Catherine D. Yulo, with Eduardo Villanueva and Jose Robverto Cuaycong of Bacolod, entertainment and socio-civic activities; Atty. Luis B. Pangilinan Jr., sports; Vitus P. Cruz and Choy L. Alas, pre-convention workshop; Leticia Sampan, Tatiana Gorayeb, reception; Manuel T. Ramos, with Bacolod’s Eduardo L. Taruc, transportation; Rolando A. Dantes, trade exhibit.