05/06/2011 [ tribune.net.ph ]
Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Jejomar Binay yesterday urged local government units (LGUs) of Region IV-A to partner with the national government in planning and implementing housing programs.
“Our objective is to work with the LGUs and build their capacities to carry out and implement their own housing programs,” Binay said.
“Not only do we need each other — the local and national sectors — in the huge undertaking of housing; we need to make each other more capable at our own levels,” the Vice President added.
Binay, together with officials of key shelter agencies (KSAs), spearheaded the launch of the Calabarzon Pabahay Caravan in Tagaytay City.
“The Pabahay Caravan is an effort of the government shelter agencies to localize the delivery of housing services with the LGUs at the forefront,” he said.
The housing czar noted that Calabarzon has been a constant partner of the national government in developing housing sites for informal settlers such as the Southville Resettlement Sites in Laguna, Cavite and Rizal.
Binay further said the region has been active in the delivery of housing, noting that it has received several socialized housing projects under the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) of the Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC).
Since July 2010, Calabarzon had taken out 14 projects under the CMP and currently has 11 CMP projects in-process for board approval with 28 additional projects planned.
However, Binay said there is a need for LGUs in the region to further strengthen their housing programs, noting Calabarzon ’s large population size.
For the part of the national government, Binay assured that KSAs will provide technical as well as funding assistance to LGUs with their housing projects.
KSAs help in the preparation of the LGUs’ respective comprehensive land use plans or the formulation of their local shelter plans.
The Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) has devoted a lending window for LGUs with available land for housing but lack funds to build units. The agency also offers a Pabahay Loan Program for local housing and local residential subdivisions.
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