VP fast-tracks awarding of idle government lots

Vice President Noli de Castro vowed yesterday to relentlessly pursue the asset reform program of the government to provide security of tenure to homeless Filipinos.

De Castro, concurrent chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), awarded idle government properties to poor folks in Laguna and Las Piñas City last Friday.

De Castro said the program forms part of President Arroyo’s commitment to ensure the continued stay of informal settlers in public lands.

"Layunin ng pamahalaan na pabilisin ang pagkakaroon ninyo ng security of tenure at makakaasa kayong hindi kami titigil hangga’t hindi nasisiguro ang paninirahan ng bawat pamilya dito (It is the government’s aim to fast-track efforts to give you security of tenure and we will not stop until every family is assured of a home)," De Castro told residents of CAA compound in Las Piñas where around 500 families illegally occupying lots belonging to the Civil Aeronautics Administration finally received their conditional contracts to sell certificates.

De Castro said the documents imply that the government has already sold its properties to the families.

"Ang ibig sabihin po nito ay hindi na po kayo mga squatter sa mga lupa na inyong tinitirahan dahil ibinenta na po ito sa inyo ng gobyerno. At huwag po kayong mag-alala dahil ang buwanang hulog po sa mga lupang in-award sa inyo ngayong araw ay katumbas lamang ng halaga ng isang cellcard (This means that you are no longer squatters because the government has sold these lots to you. But don’t worry because the monthly downpayment for this is only equivalent to the cost of a cellcard,)" he noted, referring to the cards used by pre-paid cell phone subscribers which is normally priced between P100 and P500.

Before going to Las Piñas, De Castro also awarded certificates of lot awards (CLA) to some 900 families occupying unutilized properties of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) in Magdalena, Laguna.

De Castro said the move is the first step before the families can receive their certificates of contract to sell.

The number of families benefiting from the asset reform program of the government has already reached 195,445 from 2001 to 2006, according to De Castro.

The figure is expected to increase dramatically after HUDCC intensified its campaign to fast-track the program.

Taking note of this, newly elected Senate President Manny Villar lauded De Castro for his contribution to the national housing program.