No fees needed to avail of housing, DHSUD advises public amid reports of scammers
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) warned the public on Sunday, Jan. 22, against individuals and groups that are allegedly using the government's housing program to cash in money from unsuspecting informal settler families (ISFs) and low-income earners.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar advised the public that there is no membership or any fee that should be paid if they want to avail the affordable housing program.
"The DHSUD is not collecting any fee. Any individual or group doing so must be immediately reported," said Acuzar.
"We are now coordinating with the local government units (LGUs) amid reports of unscrupulous individuals using the national housing program to collect payments from the unsuspecting public," he added.
Acuzar explained that interested beneficiaries do not need to be members of housing associations or groups and instead become members of the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund which has various financial schemes that can assist them in availing the housing program.
He added that those interested should instead seek the assistance of the LGUs where the housing project is located.
Aside from the DHSUD, the public can also inquire details of the program from the National Housing Authority, Social Housing Finance Corporation and National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, all of which are the Department’s key shelter agencies and are also working with the government in advancing the national housing program.