DHSUD orders housing amortization moratorium for typhoon victims

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has ordered its key shelter agencies to give their members affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine a moratorium on housing amortization.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the move was in line with President Marcos’ directive to all government agencies to extend any available assistance to typhoon victims.

Specifically directed to implement a moratorium on housing amortization are the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC).

“This is nothing compared to the sacrifices and the losses of our fellowmen affected by the typhoon. With this moratorium on the payments of amortization, we can somehow help ease their worries,” Acuzar said in Filipino.

Acuzar said its regional offices are also now working closely with typhoon-affected local government units (LGUs) for the speedy processing of applications submitted by affected families under the Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP).

He added that all shelter clusters in affected areas were already activated to ensure smooth validation of the IDSAP list obtained from LGUs.

Under IDSAP, the DHSUD provides unconditional cash assistance of P30,000 for those with damaged houses due to calamities and P10,000 for those needing minor repairs.