JV

Senate body backs NHA charter renewal

November 28, 2022 Jun I. Legaspi 663 views

THE Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement expressed its support for renewing the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) charter for another 50 years.

Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement Chairperson Sen. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito stated during the Committee’s hearing with NHA General Manager Joeben Tai on November 28, 2022, “We cannot meet our target of building one million houses per year and six million by the end of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s term if the NHA ceases to exist.”

Sen. Ejercito’s statement refers to the mandate of the NHA to produce 1.3 million housing units for informal settler families (ISFs) as part of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program of the Marcos Administration.

Three years from now, the NHA charter shall expire in 2025. The corporate charter of the NHA is significant to extend the agency’s life and to continue to serve its purpose of being the housing production arm of the government.

The NHA’s mandate is to provide quality and affordable housing projects for low-income and marginalized Filipino families. Since its establishment in 1975, the agency has produced more than 25% of the Philippines’ housing needs.

Moreover, upon his assumption as the head of the Authority, GM Tai introduced the Build Better and More (BBM) Housing program to further improve the NHA’s housing programs and projects to be at par with or surpass the quality of housing of the private sector.

GM Tai also plans to strengthen partnerships with other government agencies and the private sector to provide better and more livelihood opportunities for NHA beneficiaries.

Other senators present during the hearing were Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement Vice Chairperson Sen. Maria Lourdes “Nancy” S. Binay-Angeles and Committee Member Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go.

In September 2022, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Senior Deputy Floor Leader Representative and Presidential Son Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos III also pledged their full support for the extension of the NHA Charter in a meeting with GM Tai.

AUTHOR PROFILE