Creation of housing department mulled

Soon, all government housing agencies will be placed under one roof.

President Estrada endorsed yesterday a proposal to create a Department of Housing, which will act as the overall housing agency and address the acute shortage of homes in the country.

Presidential Spokesman Fernando Barican told reporters the creation of the new department was recommended by the powerful Economic Coordinating Council (ECC) which held its maiden meeting at Malacañang yesterday.

Barican said legislation will soon be drafted, certified as an urgent administration bill, and sent to Congress.

Presidential Management Staff Secretary Leonora de Jesus, who is the acting chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and a member of the ECC, will lead Palace officials in coming up with the draft bill.

"We expect the Department of Housing to be in place before the year ends," Barican said. "Its creation will highlight the commitment of President Estrada to housing and urban development."

The President, who is concurrently the housing czar, also signed Executive Order 195 which spelled out the functions of all government housing agencies.

The HUDCC serves as the secretariat of the Presidential Commission on Mass Housing (PCMH), which is chaired by the President.

Under the directive, all government housing agencies will be placed under the PCMH, which will operate until such time as the Department of Housing is in place.

Agencies affected by the directive include the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), National Housing Authority (NHA), Home Insurance Guarantee Fund (HIGC), National Home Mortgage and Finance Corp. and the Home Mutual Development Fund, or Pag-IBIG Fund.

Barican dismissed suggestions that the move to create a new department was contrary to the Estrada administration's effort to trim the bureaucracy, saying having a housing department was necessary.

"You would note that this is a major project, and we're talking of a shortage of 3.5 million housing units," the presidential spokesman said.

The Department of Housing will have functions similar to those of the defunct Ministry of Human Settlements headed by then First Lady Imelda Marcos.

The ministry was one of the offices abolished during the Aquino administration. Most of its functions were given to the PMS, which is headed by de Jesus.

House Assistant Minority Leader Prospero Pichay expressed concern yesterday that the President's decision for a phased revamp of his official family could create more political uncertainty and turn off potential investments in the country.

As long as there is speculation on who will be retained and who will be axed, then there will be perennial in-fighting and jockeying for position," Pichay said. "The President should have been more decisive and done the revamp with finality so the Cabinet can buckle down to work and address the pressing needs of the country."

He pointed out that the revamp did not address the reported friction between Cabinet officials like De Jesus and Executive Secretary Ronaldo Zamora. Barican, who had wanted to be reassigned, was also retained.

Meanwhile, the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) expressed support for the President's new Cabinet.

ECOP president Donald Dee said the appointments will not only boost morale and confidence among the general public but the business community as well.

Dee lauded the choice of Finance Secretary Jose Pardo, Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Dakila Fonacier, Customs Commissioner Ramon Farolan and Investment Ombudsman Florecita Flores.

"They are best suited to carry out the President's vision of improving the national economy," he said. -- With Liberty Dones, AP