THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) key shelter agencies (KSAs) posted significant achievements during the first quarter of the year despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

During the first National Human Settlements and Urban Development Coordinating Committee meeting spearheaded by DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario Monday, the KSAs – namely the Home Mutual Development Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) plus the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) – presented their respective accomplishments during the January-March 2021 period.

Pag-IBIG Fund posted a 33% rise in home loan releases valued at P20.94 billion during the first three months of the year. The Fund likewise recorded a P29.40-billion dividend payout for Fiscal Year 2020, marking a 5.62% surge per annum.

As for the NHA, it reported a higher Q1 performance compared to the same period during the previous year on the back of the rollout of housing projects for typhoon “Yolanda” victims and shelter schemes for former rebels, garnering accomplishment rates of 302% and 68%, respectively.

The housing agency likewise trumpeted a 253% growth in housing completions mainly due to finalized projects intended for informal settlers affected by the Supreme Court Mandamus and those affected by government-led infrastructure projects.

It also excelled in terms of housing programs for government employees, recording a 94% growth rate for the said period.

The NHMFC, meanwhile, touted its significant achievements both in the first quarter of the year and during the previous years like issuing BALAI Bonds 1 and 2, securing ISO certification for securitization of housing loan portfolios and borrower’s services, as well as posting PHP6.82-billion worth of housing receivables purchased.

SHFC, on the other hand, reported that it had released loans amounting to P228.8 million through 13 projects under its Community Mortgage Program that benefitted 3,742 ISFs during the first quarter of the year. It also rolled out five other housing schemes that helped improve the lives of 8,282 ISF families across the country.

SHFC also highlighted a nearly 84% modified collection efficiency rate as of January 2021 and succeeded in raking in P248.19 million in payment collections as of the end of March this year.

As for HSAC, its Regional Adjudication Branches (RABs) were able to handle 1,816 cases in the first three months of the year, with most of the cases lodged with the RAB-4A. One hundred and nineteen (119) of these cases were disposed, 39% of which were from the National Capital Region. There are still 1,697 ongoing cases being handled by HSAC as of end-March 2021.

The NHSUDCC meeting was aimed at further bolstering coordination and promote synergy among government KSAs, DHSUD and housing stakeholders.

During the forum, Secretary Del Rosario called on KSAs to further bolster collaboration with the private sector in attaining their common goal of providing decent and affordable housing communities for Filipino families, especially the underprivileged.

The NHSUDCC seeks to serve as a stepping stone for DHSUD to further enhance its tie-up with KSAs in upholding the Department’s housing and urban development policies and programs across the country.

Part of DHSUD’s key strategies this year is to strengthen engagements not only with the KSAs and housing stakeholders including partner developers, but also at the grassroots level through local government units.