MANILA, Feb. 16 (PNA) — As part of the Social Services allocation in the 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the National Government is earmarking Php11.0 billion to housing, not only to give Filipinos temporary shelter during emergencies but also to enable them to acquire their own homes.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said, “The Administration is ensuring Filipinos’ universal right to housing by giving them a chance to own their own homes. What’s more, placing them in safe communities where they can live and work is a proactive approach to safeguard our people from natural disasters.”
To prepare against climate change, the National Government will need to relocate vulnerable Filipino families living in danger zones.
Because of this, the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) will have a shared budget of Php7.3 billion to relocate 15,862 families affected by infrastructure projects or living in danger zones to better communities. The NHA itself will also have a budget of Php577 million to relocate 7,215 informal settler families (ISFs) residing in danger zones to safer areas.
In case of disaster, the NHA will have an allocation of Php736 million to give as emergency housing assistance—including the provision of housing materials assistance—to 26,426 victims of calamities.
On the other hand, the SHFC will be assisting 16,500 families to acquire their homes with a budget of Php1.0 billion. The National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) will likewise have a budget of Php1.0 billion as they help families via government-funded home loans.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will have their own part to play with an allotted Php1.2 billion to provide informal settler families with housing units as well as rental assistance to beneficiary-families.
Lastly, the 2015 National Budget has an allotment of Php100 million to provide housing for 341 families of uniformed personnel, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor).
Abad said, “The Administration’s efforts to give opportunities to our countrymen isn’t limited to job-generation, but also a chance for homeownership. This is an important part of the inclusive growth the Administration is trying to develop, where every Filipino can have a chance of finding a place they can call their own.” (PNA)