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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Senate panel pushes rental subsidy for pandemic-hit, dislocated families

Senate panel pushes rental subsidy for pandemic-hit, dislocated families

Published Jun 17, 2021 10:45 am

The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement has approved proposals for the grant of monthly rental subsidies to informal settler families (ISFs) and other eligible beneficiaries displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as evictions and demolitions.

In this file photo taken May 22, 2018, residents of Legazpi Street in Intramuros, Manila, tagged as informal settlers, block the demolition of their homes as ordered by the court. The demolition has been postponed by local executives for over two years following President Duterte's 'no relocation, no demolition' policy. (Jansen Romero/MANILA BULLETIN)

During a hearing on Wednesday, June 16, Senator Francis Tolentino, committee chairman, directed the creation of a technical working group to consolidate the bills filed by Senators Leila de Lima, Ramon Revilla Jr. and Christopher Go, as well as the counterpart measure approved in the House of Representatives.

The measures aimed to institutionalize a rental housing subsidy program, especially for ISFs, to assist them while waiting for relocation to government housing and resettlement areas.

At present, the National Housing Authority (NHA) is providing a one-time rental subsidy for qualified ISFs living in Metro Manila that are set to transfer to a government housing project in the provinces of Rizal, Batangas, Bataan, and Laguna.

The bills of Go and Revilla proposed a monthly rental assistance for a period of five years, or until an ISF can transfer to a permanent housing, whichever comes first. They proposed that the subsidy cover 50 to 60 percent of the total rentals to be paid by beneficiaries.

De Lima's proposal, meanwhile, seeks the provision of loans to qualified individuals at the lowest interest rate.

The NHA, during the hearing, asked lawmakers to set the maximum period at five years and recommended that the funds for the rental subsidy be included under the project costing.

The NEDA, urban poor groups and other stakeholders also supported the passage of the rent subsidy measure. Groups said the funds may also be taken from the appropriations of government agencies whose programs and projects would dislocate families.

"Ito pong rental subsidy ay hindi lamang patungkol ngayon sa COVID pandemic kung hindi maging pagkatapos po nang pandemya, dahil yung problema natin sa pabahay ay hindi lamang po sa Metro Manila kung hindi maging sa mga ilang urban areas ng Pilipinas ay patuloy po (This rental subsidy does not only concern the COVID-19 pandemic, because our problem with housing in Metro Manila and other parts of the country persists)," Tolentino said.

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Rental subsidy covid-19 pandemic response housing Francis Tolentino informal settlers
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