A legislative proposal seeking to subsidize housing rentals for informal settler families affected by government national projects or displaced in the aftermath of natural calamities has been endorsed for enactment by the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development.
The House panel chaired by Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla unanimously approved Friday the committee report proposing to consolidate nine bills proposing the “Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act.”
The bill provides that a monthly rental subsidy of up to a maximum of P3,500 per month would be given to each ISF beneficiary that would be affected by government national projects.
Among the listed authors of the bills were Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Reps. Alfred Vargas (PDP-Laban, Quezon City); Estrellita Suansing (PDP-Laban, Nueva Ecija); Horacio Suansing (PDP-Laban, Sultan Kudarat), and Precious Hipolito-Castelo (NUP, Quezon City).
Earlier, the House Committee on Appropriations approved the funding provision of the substitute bill.
However, the appropriations panel chaired by ACT-CIS partylist Rep. Eric Go Yap rejected Section 9 of the consolidated bill that provides for additional plantilla positions to ensure the proper implementation of the subsidy program.
The consolidated bill grants ISFs a monthly rental subsidy of maximum P3,500 in case they are rendered homeless as a result of the demolition of their houses to give way to government projects. Victims of calamities are also qualified.
“This bill aims to give informal settler beneficiaries access to the formal housing market. It shall be made an option to address the temporary relocation or displaced families due to natural and man-made disasters,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez stressed that housing is one of the nine priority sectors with the greatest potential of helping government realize its goals under the “Ambisyon 2040.”
In House Bill 7364 filed by the Suansings, they proposed that eligible beneficiaries should have been among those qualified as dislocated ISBs with one member of the household gainfully employed and have vacated informal settlement areas to relocate to a safer place.
Vargas noted that well-designed housing programs “create tremendous potential for employment creation, spur investments in newly created communities, and provide decent housing which every household dreams of having.”
In his proposal, Vargas set the maximum subsidy grant for beneficiaries at five years. The subsidy also lapses as soon as the beneficiary is able to acquire a permanent home.
HB 7215 filed by Vargas also provides that the subsidy will continue if the beneficiary family does not move or relocate back to the place previously abandoned. The beneficiary is also enjoined to pay for the portion of the rental not covered by the amount of assistance granted by government.