House approves measure addressing ‘housing crisis’

MANILA, Philippines — A bill to help address the crisis in the housing sector has been approved by the House of Representatives.

At a virtual plenary session earlier this week, the chamber approved the bill providing a rental subsidy program to some 4.5 million informal settlers nationwide after declaring a “housing crisis” in the country.

Congressmen decided in voice voting to approve on second reading House Bill 8736 that seeks to establish a rental housing subsidy program for informal settler families (ISF).

The move came following Speaker Lord Allan Velasco’s commitment to work on legislative measures to address the 6.7-million housing backlog of the government.

The measure seeks to promote just, equitable and inclusive urban development through programs providing adequate social services, broader housing options, livelihood, employment, as well as an improved quality of life for Filipinos.

HB 8736, authored by Quezon City 6th district Rep. Kit Belmonte and Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, specifically intends to encourage ISFs to transfer from danger areas and public and privately-owned lands to permanent homes available in the formal housing market.

The bill also seeks to address the temporary relocation of families displaced by either natural or man-made disasters.

Under the bill, eligible ISFs shall “receive rental subsidies, the amount of which shall be determined by taking into consideration, among others, the prevailing rental rates in the concerned locality where they will relocate to and their economic standing and potential.”

The proposed law provides for a rental subsidy of P3,500 monthly for qualified ISFs in Metro Manila.

For those in the provinces, the monthly amount of financial aid would be set by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Economic and Development Authority, taking into consideration regional wages but not to exceed P3,500.

The DHSUD will be tasked to implement the program and coordinate with housing agencies in formulating program targets and then integrating such goals into the national housing policy.

The bill defines ISFs as “households living in a lot, private or public, without the consent of the property owner; or those without legal claim to the property they are occupying; or those living in danger areas such as esteros, railroad tracks, garbage dumps, riverbanks, shorelines and waterways…”