The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) has started meeting local chief executives to discuss housing plans for their respective constituents amid the more than 6.5 million units backlog across the country, especially for informal settler families (ISFs).
DHSUD Sec. Jose Acuzar said one of the strategies discussed is the inclusion of private developers and financial institutions in the planning and implementation of the housing programs, like the program he initiated when he tapped the SM Development Corporation for the resettlement areas of residents in Abra who were displaced by the magnitude 7.0 magnitude quake.
Acuzar first met with local executives in the National Capital Region (NCR) like Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo; Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval and Vice Mayor Ninong Dela Cruz, and Caloocan City Mayor Dale Malapitan.
He said the discussion focused on maximizing the use of government land in the metro for public housing purposes and new schemes favorable to both LGUs and target beneficiaries which offers sustainability of the government housing program.
“We see the role of LGUs as one of the key components to gradually address or even put an end to the challenges we are facing in the housing sector. They are our allies in development,” Acuzar said.
Aside from LGUs, Acuzar said more stakeholders must be tapped to make the housing programs more participative and inclusive for faster housing production.
“The housing sector in the country needs aggressive efforts. Therefore, we have to involve every stakeholder that can take part in this advocacy of the new administration – that is to provide shelter to millions of Filipinos,” he said.
Acuzar said he would meet with more local chief executives to tackle DHSUD’s planned human settlement projects in some identified areas to benefit ISFs and those living in danger zones.