It is a distinct honor to share my thoughts with you on your golden anniversary.
“Solid as gold,” you say in your theme, and right now, knowing how PAREB has always been partners with government in the housing effort, I would like to say, let our partnership be as solidly gold as you are at 50!
Now, between us, partners. You and I know how serious the gap has grown in the housing need. About 3.6 million units. As industry experts, you know how to imagine that as old time voters (not referring to your chronological ages of course), you know how inadequate government funds have always been in the face of this need. Mabuti na lang we have a new leadership, and with it, a new hope—that does a lot in having to face inadequacies.
We recognize that with your help and our hope, the pooling of our resources can produce faster results. More houses, more dreams of Filipino families realized. And surely, more profits for everyone participating in the housing effort.
We at HUDCC shall continue to work to cement this partnership. As in the past, we shall not lack in generating the incentives to stimulate private sector participation in mass and socialized housing. Again, that assumes that when we ask to sacrifice a little for our not-so-big homebuyers and home loan borrowers, we are not asking you to sacrifice profits. Might as well, if it is to be a beneficial partnership.
And again, a strong partnership will not only translate into more homes for more Filipino families. It will mean a busier, livelier national economy. We all refer to the ripple effect of housing—every peso spent resonates in the many industries involved in housing, in the end creating jobs for more people who, in the end, can buy more goods, or even buy houses.
Keeping these in mind, my friends, that everything we do well in housing moves the economy forward, I am determined to institute the following reforms in the housing sector:
Regarding permits and licenses for housing, we are revisiting executive order no. 45, which provides a one-stop-shop facility in the processing of development permits, DAR clearance, license to sell, and the like.
To speed up the procedures and make the one-stop shop a reality, we are pursuing our appeal to all agencies involved in the issuance of permits/clearances for housing to strictly implement their mandates as contemplated by EO 45.
Titling is another concern and the costs of titling for socialized and low cost housing units must be reduced if not eliminated. We are conducting meetings with the land registration authority or LRA to hasten the unitization of titles presently stranded in LRA’s on-going computerization project. Our proposal includes the priority handling of individual titling and supply of security paper for housing projects. We will also propose the reduction of fees being imposed for titling.
Let me state unequivocally that I am one with you in advocating the immediate passage of the national land use act.
We see the need to create a central government body that would ensure the just allocation, utilization management and development of the country’s land resources. Through the national land use committee under the NEDA, I have conveyed HUDCC’s pro-active stance in pushing forward the ratification of a National Land Use Act (NALUA).
If this is passed, this could encourage local government units to prepare or update their land use plans focusing on urban renewal which shall translate into more real estate development and opportunities for the entire industry.
As an urban planner myself, I emphasize that the need to preserve land, which is a finite resource, from competing uses is of paramount concern. We need to protect land by rationalizing its utilization for agricultural production and food security, for industrial and commercial development and job creation, and for settlements development and affordable housing.
We must protect land from misuse and degradation not only for our own good but for the benefit of the country’s future generations. We will fully utilize idle and underutilized government lands for pre-planned housing development.
We urge you to engage HUDCC in these advocacies as we embark on building sustainable green communities of which we want you to be part. Again if we have good communities and urban development in our areas, real estate values will improve and become more valuable and more business for you realtors will be available.
Capping our systemic reform efforts, HUDCC will prioritize the comprehensive review of virtually every nook and cranny of housing finance.
We shall re-examine the existing system of end-buyer financing, development financing, the guarantee system, the secondary mortgage market, the community mortgage program, and micro-housing program financing. This is with the end in view, of course, of making more funds available for housing.
The underlying premise of these reforms is to make mortgage instruments effective in securing ownership, and thus encourage buyers to accelerate payment or make timely payments on their obligations.
At the same time, we will maintain the integrity of the mortgages so that more funds can be secured in the market for housing.
Lastly, my primary thrust on socialized housing may not be that appealing to you, but let me say this now, that we are bent on doubling our production and with more houses, there will be bigger opportunities. And I like to think this is what you want to hear: “More brokers’ commission and sales incentives for all.”
These, my dear friends, are what you can expect from us!
In ending let me just translate these technical facts into human terms.
Within the vision of our new national leadership, I embrace every Pinoy family’s dream of having a house they can call their own.
And within that same vision you and I will join hands in making that dream a reality.
That is the essence of our partnership. And it is very simple and basic: a roof over more heads, a vibrant hope inside more hearts.
And that, I think, is what solid gold means.
Maraming salamat!