Government urged: Resolve housing backlog

MANILA, Philippines — Alarmed by a projected 6.8-million backlog in housing units by 2022, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos yesterday asked the government to address the problem, otherwise the number will keep on increasing. 

Marcos noted that in Metro Manila alone, shelter agencies should provide at least 300,000 homes to beneficiaries yearly to prevent congestion in highly-populated areas.

“The poor must have their own homes where they can live modestly starting 2019 onwards. No Filipino should dwell in pushcarts and sleep along sidewalks,” she said in a statement.

She said the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and other shelter agencies should come up with a comprehensive housing roadmap.

 “They should provide solutions on how to provide affordable homes and a subsidy program for targeted beneficiaries,” Marcos, who is running for senator in the midterm elections, said.

She said the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development should work together with the National Housing Authority, Pag-IBIG and local government units (LGUs) to provide shelters for low-income and poor Filipino families.

Marcos said coordination among LGUs is important to ensure that services and facilities such as water system, electricity, roads and other amenities are included in the planning for the construction of housing projects.

The governor noted that Pag-IBIG contributions are deducted from the salaries of government employees every month. But  there are no comprehensive housing projects for its members, especially for teachers and other low-salaried government workers.