RDC pushes housing for Cordillera folks

By Legriv Vilee I. Marquez

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Development Council is eying to provide housing needs for Cordillera folks.
    The  RDC’s housing subcommittee tackled the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH)” program of the Dept. of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) during its 1st quarter meeting on Feb. 13 here.
    As the administration’s flagship housing program, this program aims to narrow housing gap by constructing one million housing units annually until 2028.
    The proposed housing design unit size, and selling price of the socialized housing projects were presented.
    Aida Daiwey of the National Housing Authority said some beneficiaries refused the socialized housing units due to limited unit space which did not consider housing needs in the region.
    Lawyer Fritz Turqueza, representing the Provincial Government of Abra, urged more studies on livability of housing units.
    Daiwey said there was need to identify those who were previously catered to by other shelter agencies.
    Turqueza said databases of shelter agencies can be harmonized to create a master list of beneficiaries.
    She added this will hasten validation process and assist in formalizing certification of socialized housing unit owners.
    The subcommittee also tackled the measures against those who occupy socialized housing units despite having sufficient income for legitimate housing and persons who have been awarded housing units but sold, leased, or transferred the same.     Nenilu Cacas of DHSUD Cordillera urged local government units to establish local housing boards and strengthen resettlement monitoring function of each LHB.
    DHSUD regional director Maria Amoroso said they will continue consultations with target beneficiaries and stakeholders to ensure housing needs of individuals and households are taken into account.
    The Pambansang Pabahay program responds to establishing livable communities as one of the goals of the CAR Regional Development Plan for the next six years.
    The preparation of the RDP is headed by the National Economic Development Authority regional office in collaboration with the Regional Development Council and its stakeholders.