Vice President Jejomar C. Binay today said that his first task as housing czar is to look into the organizational setup of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the body tasked with implementing the National Shelter Program.​

                  “I have to know first the organizational setup. How is the decision-making, as you know, the different agencies have their own boards of directors,” Binay said.

                  “Titingnan ko muna yung mga mechanics ng papasukang kong trabaho,” he added.

                  Binay confirmed Thursday that he has accepted the housing offer from President Benigno Aquino III after talking to the President.

                  He also said that he was convinced to accept the post by the agency’s main function. “It was really intended to be pro-poor, so the beneficiaries would be the poor Filipinos,” Binay said. The Vice President added that housing is a basic need of the people.

                  Binay said he would talk to the former heads of the housing body. “I’m looking forward to meeting with the previous heads of the agencies so they could tell me the problems they’ve encountered, rooms for improvement and inform me of projects that were started but were not finished,” he said.

                  The Vice President is likewise looking forward to working with Gawad Kalinga (GK) and other cause-oriented groups to address shelter concerns.

                  “We have worked extensively with GK when I was Makati mayor, especially in our housing programs in Bulacan,” he said.

                  Binay also said that he appreciates the warm welcome he received from Malacañang. “I am grateful for the President’s trust,” he added.

                  In a previous statement, the Vice President said that he is ready to help the Aquino administration meet its goal of improving the lives of many Filipinos.