Bill seeking for comprehensive student dorm pushed

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Representative Aileen Radaza is pushing for the construction of a comprehensive and integrated student housing and dormitory program.

Radaza filed House Bill No. 5355 that seeks to encourage the private sector to invest in the establishment of student dormitories or housing projects by providing them incentives.

The bill also mandates the National Housing Authority and the Commission on Higher Education to take the lead in ensuring accessibility and affordability of living quarters to students.

“Through this can we facilitate the creation of a safer and better learning environment that our students deserve, most especially for those pursuing higher education in places far away from home,” Radaza said.

While providing quality education to its constituents is a state obligation, Radaza said such obligation should also include advancement of a sound and favorable environment for learning.

Radaza said the need for the creation of such environment is highlighted by the present state of dormitories and boarding houses that students have to live in.

“This reality is even made worse for those students who belong to the lower income families, majority of them from the provinces,” she said.

The proposed measure provides additional powers granted to the NHA such as to finance under liberalized credit terms student housing or dormitories.

The schemes include affordable interest rates and long-term payment scheme; graduated amortization scheme that will ensure smaller amortization during the initial period of payments; and subsidy of a portion of the interest payments, or a portion of the capita cost of construction.

The NHA is also authorized to establish throughout the country students housing or dormitories in places where educational institutions are located and to regulate the reasonable margin of profit of any person, corporation or partnership investing in student housing or dormitory.

All lands, buildings and improvements, actually, directly and exclusively used for the purpose and all the incomes derived therefrom shall be exempted from all kinds of taxes and charges and other assessment for five years from the actual use of the structures.

It is also proposed that the NHA, in coordination with the CHED, shall establish a program whereby a minimum of five percent and a maximum of ten percent of the occupancy spaces shall be furnished for free in favor of poor and deserving students.

Radaza proposed an initial amount of P100 million to be appropriated annually for five years to carry out the purpose of the bill, which is now pending before the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development since February 3, 2015. — (FREEMAN)