Speaker says creation of housing department on track

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives is on track in creating the proposed Department of Housing and Urban Development, Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. said yesterday.

Belmonte assured Congress is resolved to address the issue of shelter as one of the priorities of government to improve the quality of life of Filipino families.

“There must be a single focused agency of government, a separate department for that matter, which should synchronize, coordinate and implement the country’s shelter programs nationwide,” Belmonte said.

He expressed confidence that the House committee on housing and urban development, chaired by Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, and the committee on government reorganization, headed by Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Cesar Jalosjos, would be able to steer the approval of the measure through plenary later this year.

The panels have earlier created a technical working group to refine the critical provisions of a consolidated version of the bill.

The creation of a housing department is among the 23 priority bills identified during a Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) meeting presided by President Aquino in Malacanang.

“Creating the department is highly imperative and indeed long overdue in the rationalization of the shelter delivery system,” Valencia said.

The proposed new department, he said, “shall serve as the primary agency in the preparation, integration, coordination, and supervision of plans, programs, projects and activities of the government relative to the urban planning, development and renewal, including land use and zoning, housing, provision, regulation and finance, as well as marginal settlement assistance and service.”