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| Photo by Rappler |
Urban poor groups, on the eve of President Marcos Jr.’s
second State of the Nation Address (SONA), criticized the administration’s
social housing program for its being “overly dependent” on private developers
and “downright discriminatory” against the poorest of the poor.
Declared as the administration’s flagship program, the
Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) aims to produce one million
“affordable” housing each year to address the cumulative housing backlog of
some 6.8 million.
But leaders of urban poor organizations in a joint statement
declared: “The program is neither affordable nor equitable for the poorest
among the homeless Filipinos. Pagkatapos ng anim na taon, maaring nagkabahay
ang mga naka-aangat pero ang mahihirap ay hindi,” stated the groups.
The urban poor network explained that under this private-led
housing development program, only the lower to middle-income families can avail
of the ₱1.1 - ₱1.5 million housing loan from Pag-ibig as the poorest of poor,
estimated to be 1.7 million of the 6 million beneficiaries, cannot afford a
monthly amortization of at least ₱4,000.
Housing loans under 4PH is significantly higher than the
current loanable amount of up to ₱750,000 for socialized housing under
Pag-ibig, with a monthly amortization of ₱2,445/month available for minimum
wage earners and low-income families.
But informal settler families (ISFs) live under vulnerable
conditions of unemployment and underemployment as most of them work in the
informal economy with irregular income, the groups said.
The ₱4,000 estimated monthly amortization the groups said
was based on the 1% interest rate which is the only cost that will be assumed
by the government. Pag-ibig imposes a 3% interest rate for socialized housing
loans but under the 4PH, only 1% shall be paid by the applicant. The rest of
the costs in building the units will be assumed by private developers but which
shall also be charged to household beneficiaries through Pag-ibig.
But because the proposed housing design is high rise, the urban
poor leaders said additional costs for the maintenance and operations of said
buildings like elevators and other amenities shall be borne collectively and
may incur additional monthly dues of ₱2,000 per household. This would mean a
family’s total monthly expenditure for housing at ₱6,000.
“Records would show, however, that even for existing NHA
projects, only 22% of informal settlers are able to meet the monthly
amortization of ₱300. ₱6,000 is twenty times higher than the current NHA cost,
making the 4PH an impossible dream house for the poorest of the poor. Hindi pa
nagsisimula ang proyekto ay disqualified na ang mahihirap,” said the group.
Alternatives
Citing a dire need to address the burgeoning housing crisis,
the urban poor leaders said they are willing to work with the government with
an alternative mechanism that they would like to propose.
These include a major proposal for the government to make
land acquisition and site development for socialized housing a grant to drive
down the cost further and make the program more affordable for the poorest of
the poor.
The groups also want the framework of “People’s Plan”
adopted by the government through the enactment of the People’s Plan bill filed
in Congress to ensure that ISFs are not merely treated as “market” in the
socialized housing industry but as major partner and participants for realizing
the social objective of eliminating homelessness in the country.
It is in the People’s Plan, they said, that a flexible
housing program can be formulated democratically which may include, among
others, lower cost and mixed-use development of the housing estates.
Lastly, the groups are also opposed to extending the NHA
Charter because of the agency’s failure to solve the housing problem for
decades and the recent creation of DHSUD. As an alternative, they propose that
the housing projects under the NHA be distributed free for the beneficiaries in
the same way lands were condoned for agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in
the rural areas.
“Kung ang ARBs sa kanayunan ay nabigyan ng Pangulo ng
condonation at emancipation sa kanilang mga utang, maari din itong gawin para
sa mga ISFs ng kalunsuran,” the group concluded.
23 July 2023
Urban Poor Leaders Network
For more info you may contact:
Ver Estorosas
Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino
09423690337
Rodel Rubias
HOA Resettlement Alliance
0928 729 6269
Jonathan Chua
Laban ng Maralitang Sektor
09610230159
Nestor Yaranon
Kilos Maralita
09239770681
Vicente Barlos
President
Alliance Peoples Organization in Lupang Arenda (APOLA)
09437091266
Jonjon Elago
President, ULAP-Confed
09218202998
