Cebu City searches for outstanding homeowners

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Government recently opened the search for the Outstanding Homeowners Association where winners will receive up to P500,000 worth of community development projects.

It is aimed to share the best practices of functional HOAs and to give due credit and recognition to communities that are working seriously towards community development.

The search is open to the 37 accredited homeowners associations of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor.

To be a possible candidate for first, second and third prizes, the HOA must have high average collection efficiency rate, must have an active participation in barangay and city activities and projects, must be active, which means the group must be conducting regular meetings and assemblies and paying regularly their monthly dues and active efforts towards community development must be evident.

The HOA must also be registered with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission or the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board. The group must also have at least 20 members and must have an active Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Cebu. Members must have also started paying their monthly amortizations for at least a year.

The first prize winner will receive P500,000 worth of community development projects while second and third prizes winners will receive P300,000 and P200,000 worth of community development projects, respectively.

Applicants has to submit a copy of the MOA with the city, the complete list of membership, the certificate of registration, a copy of the collection efficiency report obtainable from DWUP, minutes of meetings and attendance sheets and other documents that may be needed.

The panel of judges will comprise of a representative from the City Government, one from a housing agency, one from the Department of the Interior and Local Government and one from a Non-Government Organization.

The awarding will be held during the Poor Solidarity Week Celebration on December.

This project was launched in Cebu City as part of the celebration of the 19th Anniversary of the passage of the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA).

This is a way to motivate the homeowners to be mindful of their responsibilities as beneficiaries of the city’s socialized housing programs.

Last year, DWUP has reported P22 million short of their target collection due to delinquent urban poor families. The DWUP has only collected P19 million but was supposed to collect P41 million from monthly amortizations of the beneficiaries. — (FREEMAN)