Tribute to colleagues and UDHA@20

Allow us, first, to share our prayers and condolences to the families of our friend, Babes Sanchez, and our The FREEMANcolleague, Judge Lorenzo Paradiang, who joined the Lord.

They have touched so many with their passionate advocacies, Babes and Judge Paradiang will be dearly missed. However, we are very sure the lovely, bubbly Babes and our serious, silent Judge Paradiang are making so many happy, as well, up there with the Lord. May Babes and Judge Paradiang rest and bask in God’s eternal love and peace.

Today’s topic will also have caught their attention, especially the portion referring to the goal of uplifting the conditions of our underprivileged and homeless. Both shared their God-given gifts to help and support the needy. Babes especially held women, particularly those among the poor, close to her heart. Judge Paradiang guided his students and readers to be interested and to learn about law.

Last March 22, Councilor Alvin Dizon, together with Ms. Cathy Ruiz and Ms. Ailee Tejano, and other partners from HUDCC (led by Asec. Wendell Avisado, with Architect Dodong Garso and Ms. Elenita Canete), PCUP, KAABAG, PAGTAMBAYAYONG, PHILSSA and UK-AID led participants (from LGUs, NGOs, POs and academe) through a whole day summit to review the gains and challenges related to the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.

Councilor Dizon, who serves as chairperson of Cebu City’s Committee on Housing, gave the timely reminder that “solving the housing problem of our community and even the country requires the collective efforts of government, private sector, and, civil society.”

Many of the participants were impressed with the remarkable progress in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental in addressing the housing needs of the poor, especially one housing project, where the qualified residents from the underprivileged sectorwere allowed to pay a very minimal daily amount (was it just P5/day) as payment for their house. Gawad Kalinga, through Mr. Tanny Go, also shared their latest commendable community initiative at Brgy. Lorega. FORGE’s Antonio Balang called the attention of the summit participants to the importance of understanding and adequate coordinated preparation related to climate change.

UDHA of 1992 intended to meet the following objectives: “1) to uplift the conditions of the underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban areas and in resettlement areas through decent housing at affordable cost, basic services, and employment opportunities; 2) to provide for the rational use and development of urban land in order to bring about: a) equitable utilization of residential lands in urban and urbanizable area, b) optimization of the use and productivity of land and urban resources, c) development of urban areas conducive to commercial and industrial activities, d) reduction in urban dysfunctions, e) access to land and housing by the underprivileged and homeless; 3) to adopt workable policies to regulate and direct urban growth and expansion towards a dispersed urban net and more balanced urban-rural interdependence; 4) to provide for an equitable land tenure system that shall guarantee security of tenure to program beneficiaries; 5) to encourage more effective people’s participation in the urban development process, and, finally, 6) to improve the capability of local government units.”

The HOUSING, rather than the URBAN DEVELOPMENT dimension of UDHA, sadly had received more priority. Still, despite some gains, a genuine view of the increasing number of poor, homeless, and underprivileged and their present situation offers the best testimony about continuing challenges that hound UDHA after 20 years.

The San Carlos City experience, as well as the Gawad Kalinga initiatives, demonstrates that with sincere collaboration and political will, much can be done concretely to help the needy.

A commitment by government, both national and local, to legislate a fixed annual percentage of the budget, exclusively for the implementation of UDHA, can go a long, sustainable way to uplift the lives of many of our needy. Even better, if only the pork barrel can be regulated so that direct services and assistance to the poor, rather than infrastructure projects, can be mandated to be given 70% or more by all legislators - that will be a very welcome Hallelujah decision by all Filipinos.

Shall we unite to make government funds work for the benefit of our millions of Filipinos finally?

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