The on-going Housing Summit has strongly recommended the tapping of the private sector to finance the construction of four- to five-story housing buildings as part of addressing the rising housing backlog in Metro Manila.

Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, disclosed yesterday that the proposal bats for the biggest public-private partnership (PPP) for housing that will also require the strong cooperation of government agencies and instrumentalities, including local government units (LGUs).

Benitez said that as part of the innovative housing program, Malacañang issued Memorandum Circular 87 directing all national agencies and state-owned corporations, together with LGUs, to submit a list of idle lands that may be targeted as project sites.

The Malacañang directive gave agency heads until the end of the year to submit the list.

A brainchild of Benitez, the Housing summit has tapped the House and Senate housing and urban development panels, and government housing agencies to put their heads together to determine surefire solutions that would drastically reduce, if not totally end, the country’s housing woes.

150,000 HOUSING UNITS

Benitez said the PPP for housing will involve the construction of 4- to 5-story buildings in 15 areas in Metro Manila.

“Because of lack of space in Metro Manila, we are proposing the construction of medium rise buildings with 100,000 to 150,000 units. However, to do this, we need government lands, that’s why the Palace is directing government agencies to submit an inventory of their respective idle lands,” he said.

According to Benitez, several families from low- and middle-income earners will benefit from the government’s biggest housing project.

The PPP plan is the initial result of the ongoing National Housing Summit conducted this year by Benitez’s committee in partnership with the Senate Committee on Urban Planning and Shelter and Resettlement.

INVENTORY OF IDLE LANDS

Malacañang’s issuance of MC 87 was also prompted by the findings made during the summit, which seeks to identify immediate solutions to the increasing number of informal settlers in urban centers, and to ensure the availability of lands for socialized housing.

Under the MC, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, through the LGUs, shall conduct an inventory of government-owned idle lands in urban centers in their respective territories.

13 December 2015
By Ben Rosario