DILG chief urges industry players to build resilent structures

MANILA, Philippines — Housing and real estate industry players should build resilient structures with the necessary facilities for proper sewage management, water and sanitation as well as drainage and wastewater treatment, according Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.

Speaking before the general membership meeting of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (CREBA) led by its national president Noel Toti Cariño last week, Abalos said these facilities are essential in fulfilling the country’s commitment to sustainable development goals (SDG).

Abalos cited DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-62 which enjoins local government units to grant incentives to residential, commercial and industrial establishments that have wastewater management facilities or systems.

The circular also makes it mandatory for LGUs to ensure that all residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and government establishments have proper sewage treatment and septage management system.

Abalos said that in ensuring the LGUs’ support to housing development, the DILG has been intensifying its interventions, such as enhancing LGU capabilities and supporting digitalization of LGU regulation and services.

To monitor compliance with the legal requirements, Abalos said, LGUs are required to submit quarterly reports and are subject to random on-site validation visits.

CREBA welcomed Abalos’ announcement that in addition to the guidelines in the processing of construction-related permits under the inter-agency Joint Memorandum Circular 2021-01, new policies in the processing of building permits have been prescribed, such as:

* Requirements of documents generated by the LGU itself, such as tax declaration, tax receipt, locational or zoning clearance will no longer be submitted by the applicant, but instead will form part of backroom processes.

* Required clearances from NGAs will be submitted 30 days after the issuance of Building Permits.  Failure to submit these clearances may suspend the Building Permit and delay the approval or release of the Certificate of Occupancy.

* Barangay clearance will be applied and issued at the city and municipal level.

Abalos also said that in line with President Marcos directive to analyze the full devolution initiative, the department has already identified the core functions and services that should be devolved to LGUs and those that should be “unbundled” or performed by national government agencies.