May 06, 2009 05:19 PM Wednesday [ journal.com.ph ]
VICE President and Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Noli “Kabayan” De Castro yesterday warned housing developers that their license to sell will be revoked if they are unable to comply with the housing specifications, facilities and amenities that they committed to homebuyers.
This warning was issued in the wake of complaints received by the office of De Castro involving a housing project in Rizal owned by REDEVCO.
The housing units sold by REDEVCO are allegedly defective and the subdivision does not have permanent power and water supply. “If these allegations are true, then the rights of the homebuyers were violated. Proper remedies must be extended to these buyers who were made to believe that they got the units that were marketed to them. They were clearly shortchanged,” De Castro said.
De Castro has already instructed the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to investigate these allegations.
The HLURB, one of the six key shelter agencies under the supervision of De Castro as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, exercises jurisdiction over complaints from homebuyers and issues concerning homeowners’ associations.
“I encourage homebuyers to make sure they know what they are buying. They should inspect their units and ensure that the specifications and facilities mentioned in the marketing materials are available. Dapat alam ng homebuyer ang lahat ng mga detalye bago siya pumirma sa dokumento on unit acceptance,” De Castro added.
In a preliminary meeting with HLURB, REDEVCO owner Jayson Pascual explained that he is encountering problems with the homebuyers who have moved in but refuse to pay the electric and water bills. He pointed out that he is currently shouldering the cost of these utilities because the homeowners refuse to cooperate. It appears that there are currently two homeowners associations in the subdivision. “Kaya nga inatasan ko ang HLURB na ayusin sa lalong madaling panahon ang problema sa subdivision na ito. Tingnan ang aligasyon tungkol sa mga depekto ng units, kakulangan ng facilties, at ang sitwasyon ng homeowners associations,” De Castro pointed out.
De Castro also ordered the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) to suspend all loan applications involving the REDEVCO project and to demand the buy back by said developer of all defective units.
Since February 2008, Pag-IBIG has already stopped the take-out of housing loan accounts being delivered by REDEVCO.
“I shall go after all erring developers who prey on unsuspecting buyers. We have been exercising flexibility to facilitate and ease up access to homeownership. Nguni’t dapat nating maintindihan na lahat ay may responsibilidad at obligasyon: kami sa pamahalaan, ang real estate developer, at ang homebuyer,” De Castro said.
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