[ Manila Bulletin Online ] August 21, 2008
By BEN R. ROSARIO
House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles lauded yesterday senators and congressmen for joining hands in pushing for the early approval of a bill that seeks to restructure housing loans and at the same time avert the foreclosure of nearly 370,000 socialized housing units.
Saying that the bill approved by the bicameral conference committee was his "baby," Nograles aired optimism that the antiforeclosure measure will be signed into law by President Arroyo.
"I got really excited when I heard the news that the anti-foreclosure measure which I have been advocating since 1998 was finally approved by the bicam. I would like to congratulate and extend my deepest gratitude to the members of the House and Senate bicam panel who facilitated the quick approval of this measure," Nograles said.
Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Noli L. de Castro yesterday congratulated members of the House bicameral conference committee for hammering out, in record time, a law that provides financial relief to delinquent housing loan buyers and borrowers.
"Tamang-tama ito para sa mga kababayan nating nakaka-ranas ng kagipitan (This is timely for our people in need). Gagaan ang kanilang hulugan at masasalba nila ang kanilang mga tirahan (It will lighten their burden and save their homes)."
Nograles said some 368,000 delinquent homeowners of low-cost units stand to benefit from the bill. They have incurred a total of R66.69 billion in arrears and are in danger of being ejected from their homes.
He said that having a decent home to live in is a right of every Filipino.
"Instead of ejecting people, the government should expand its socialized and low-cost housing program to benefit even the poorest of the poor," Nograles said.
Nograles commended the joint efforts of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development chaired by Rep. Rodolfo Valencia and the Senate Committee or Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement headed by Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri for their "diligence and hard work."
The bicameral panel reportedly worked overtime during the four-day vacation to reconcile all minor differences between the two versions of the proposed "Socialized and Low Cost Housing Loan Restructuring Act of 2008" contained in House Bill (HB) 4220 and Senate Bill (SB) 1987.
The reconciled version of the bill is expected to be ratified next week by both legislative chambers.
Nograles, who is one of the principal authors of HB 4220 with Valencia and House Committee on Housing vice chairman Parañaque City Rep. Eduardo Zialcita, said "the measure supports President Arroyo’s social reform programs to mitigate the plight of the people against the ill-effects of the economic crisis."
Congressmen who coauthored the measure were Reps. Mary Ann Susano (Lakas, Quezon City); Edgar Chatto (Lakas, Bohol), and Amelita Villarosa (Kampi, Mindoro Oriental)."
