August 5, 2019 | 10:42 pm [ bworldonline.com ]
THE Senate committee on urban housing, planning and resettlement on Monday was warned of underfunding for the agencies that will be folded into the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairman Eduardo D. del Rosario said in the initially-approved proposal, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has recommended a budget of only P6 billion for the housing sector.
“What’s the point of having a Department, if the budget allocated is very very low. From the high in 2016 of P30 billion, now we’re only given P2.9 billion for 2019, and it can only produce so much,” Mr. del Rosario said during the committee briefing.
“For 2020 we requested P49 billion and yet we are alloted in the proposal only P6 billion.”
Based on HUDCC’s presentation, the Housing sector proposed a budget of P48.876 billion; while the DBM recommended only P6.297 billion.
Senator Francis N. Tolentino, who chairs the panel, asked the DBM to submit a written explanation for its housing budget proposal.
“Kaya nga tinanong ko yung DBM, mataas ang expectations ng publiko sa Department of Human Settlements, eh ang baba pala ng budget. Mas mababa pa nung 2018-2019, (That’s the reason I had to ask DBM, because the public has very high expectations of the Department of Human Settlements, but it has a low budget, lower than 2018-2019 levels). So DBM will be sending a written explanation concerning this,” Mr. Tolentino told reporters after the hearing.
Mr. del Rosario said the budget is insufficient to meet the housing goals outlined in the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.
“If the PDP 2017-2022 is observed fully, it means that we can’t achieve our target because we need about P50 billion per year, in order to attain the desired outcomes of the Philippine Development Plan.”
HUDCC reported the number of units required from 2020 to 2022 is 409,785; which will need P184.9 billion, or an average of P62 billion per year. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
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