Resettlement bill OK hailed
TINGOG Party-list Representative Yedda Marie K. Romualdez yesterday said the passage of House Bill (HB) No. 5, which mandates onsite, in-city, near-city, or off-city relocation of informal settler families (ISFs) would address urban housing problem and crucial in safeguarding the urban poor’s rights.
Romualdez, chairperson of the House committee on accounts, stressed this after the House of Representatives with an overwhelming 254 votes approved HB No. 5 on third and final reading.
She said the proposed law also considers informal settlers as stakeholders and not just beneficiaries of the government resettlement program.
Romualdez said it is important to empower informal settlers by making them active partners of the government in the planning and management of their own resettlement to ensure that the plans thereon reflect and uphold their shelter needs and aspirations.
According to the 2017 statistics, it showed that 51% of informal settlers in the Philippines are located in danger-prone areas and 39% of the total households were identified as informal settler families in Metro Manila.
Tingog Rep. Jude Acidre reiterated that an in-city or at least near-city resettlement is key in addressing the urban poor woes.
“While residents may have better shelter and security, they nevertheless lose mobility and access to income and livelihood and social services.”
For years, Acidre said socialized housing has been one of the solutions to address the chronic housing problem in the country.
However, Acidre said the housing and resettlement policy is primarily off-site relocation, adding the government builds houses for informal settler families in areas outside Metro Manila or in rural areas, where there is a lack of employment, sustainable livelihood, and social services.
Aside from Romualdez and Acidre, HB No. 5 is authored by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez and seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) No. 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.
Other authors include House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe, and Reps. Sonny Lagon, Neptali M. Gonzales II, Ralph Recto, Jose Francisco ”Kiko” Benitez, Ron Salo, Ivan Howard A. Guintu, Joseph Stephen “Caraps” S. Paduano, Mikee Romero, France Castro, Raoul Daniel A. Manuel, Harris Christopher M. Ongchuan, Florida “Rida” P. Robes, Marivic Co-Pilar, Ambrosio C. Cruz Jr., Ralph Wendell Tulfo, Erwin Tieng, Francisco Paolo P. Ortega, Samuel Verzosa, Joey Sarte Salceda, James “Jojo” A. Ang Jr., Manuel L. Fortes Jr., Joselito “Joel” S. Sacdalan, Tirso Edwin L. Gardiola, Antonio A. Ferrer, Adrian Jay. C. Advincula, Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes G. Matibag, Mark Go, Alfonso V. Umali,
Khymer Adan T. Olaso, Jose Gay G. Padiernos, Antonio B. Legarda, Juan Carlos “Arjo” C. Atayde, Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong, Raul Angelo “Jil” D. Bongalon, Jonathan Clement M. Abalos II, Rodolfo “Ompong” M. Ordanes, Gerville R. Luistro, Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Joseph Gilbert Violago, Felimon M. Espares, Faustino Michael Carlos T. Dy II, Angelo Marcos Barba, Wilter Y. Palma, Christopherson Yap, Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” Tan, Maria Carmen Zamora, Noel “Bong” N. Rivera, Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, Princess Rihan M. Sakaluran, Shernee A. Tan-Tambut, Carl Nicolas C. Cari, Jonathan Keith T. Flores, Alfred C. Delos Santos, Emigdio P. Tanjuatco III, Ramon Jolo B. Revilla, Carmelo “Jon” B. Lazatin II, Gabriel H. Bordado Jr., Paul Ruiz Daza, Ruth Mariano-Hernandez, and Kristine Singson-Meehan.
In their explanatory note, the authors said the bill would carry out a provision of the Constitution mandating the state to “undertake, in cooperation with the public sector, a continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost decent housing and basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas.”
