SHOPC and paper chase

Why does it take long to solve our housing backlog? One of the major causes is this thing called paper chase. One has to follow a long paper trail to get approvals, permits and licenses.

Take the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) as an example. To fast track the housing program, President Arroyo did what should have been done a long time ago: she ordered the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation to trim down the number of loan applications to 18. There was a time when the entire process would take more than 100 steps involving about 50 public and private agencies. No wonder the paper chase took years and even longer if the area for housing was classified as agricultural.

Although it is tempting to look down upon it as mere paperwork, the industry and the economy in general would not move without fast and efficient documentary services. We all have to admit the fact that services serve the economy.

This is why CREBA would like to see the success of the Social Housing One Stop Processing Centers or SHOPCs which are designed to centralize the processing and issuance of all permits, clearances and licenses required in socialized, low-cost, economic and middle-end housing development.

SHOPCs were created by virtue of Executive Order No. 184 issued by former President Fidel V. Ramos for the benefit of private developers participating in socialized housing. All agencies involved in the issuance of the required documents are represented in the SHOPC regional centers. The centers are located in all the administrative regions of the country and manned by desk officers from the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior and Local Governments, and CREBA representing the private sector.

The SHOPC for the National Capital Region and Regions III and IV are stationed at the CREBA Center with the association providing free administrative and logistical support. CREBA’s chapters nationwide are entrusted with the task of setting up regional SHOPCs.