Gov’t, private sector ink housing accord

The Subdivision and Housing Development Association Inc. (SHDA), the country’s largest and leading organization of subdivision and housing developers, has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Departments of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Agriculture (DA), Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to fast-track the mass housing program of the Arroyo administration.

The MOA signing was led by HUDCC Chairman and Housing Secretary Mike Defensor, DAR Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan, DILG Secretary Joey Lina, DENR Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi, HLURB Commissioner Francis Dagñalan, and SHDA former president and now chairman, Jesus Atencio.

Atencio and newly-elected national president, Marilu M. Alferez, together with other SHDA board members and officers presented the MOA to President Arroyo during the SHDA-HUDCC National Developers Convention last June 18 at Shangri-La Hotel Makati.

Alferez noted the importance of the agreement in the implementation of the government’s housing program. "The memorandum of agreement has provided avenues between and among government agencies and the private sector to ensure the compliance of EO 45 earlier issued by President Arroyo prescribing time periods for the issuance of housing-related certifications, clearances and permits and imposing sanctions for failure to observe the order."

Alferez added that the agreement has led to the creation of a task force represented by said agencies to thresh out specific concerns and issues affecting the private developers and the said agencies. "This will greatly enhance a faster production and implementation of housing projects," she said.

For his part, Atencio added that the MOA signing is an important output of SHDA advocacy since it will effect simplification and streamlining of the process undertaken by the various local and National Government agencies with respect to approval of permits, licenses and clearances for mass housing projects. He added that to date, some 47 applications for conversion and exemption are still pending with DAR which could easily translate to some 43,000 housing units.

Alferez also said that the MOA will also trigger the drafting of a bill that will strengthen the comprehensive land use planning process aimed to improve shelter delivery and to address the country’s housing need.