The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has formed groups of experts to review all government lands that are suitable for mass housing projects amid aggressive moves to address the 6.5 million backlog in housing across the country.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the technical working groups (TWG) are composed of environmental, land use, urban planning and development bureau, public housing and settlement services, housing officials from both their central and regional offices.
“The TWGs were instructed to lead the identification and vetting of government-owned lands for housing, human settlements and urban development,” said Acuzar.
The creation of the TWGs is stipulated in the order issued by Acuzar based on the Executive Order 34 which mandates the DHSUD to lead activities on idle land inventory.
EO 34 empowers the DHSUD to identify national and local government lands that are “suitable for housing and human settlements, including new townships and estates development, in coordination with concerned government agencies and local government units.”
Based on the order, tasks of TWGs include validation of submitted land inventory, land suitability assessment and coordination with national and local government agencies.
“We’ve been discussing with some local government units and national government agencies on how we can achieve a comprehensive list of land assets we can use. This order should stimulate more activities on the ground as we aggressively implement the housing programs,” said Acuzar.
The TWG-Central Office will be headed concurrently by the Undersecretary for Planning, Undersecretary Henry Yap, while TWGs in the Regional Offices are to be headed by chiefs of their respective Environmental, Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Division.
Acuzar also granted authority to TWGs in recommending the approval of policies, guidelines, plans, projects and activities that will support the land inventory, identification and determination of process.
In his order, Acuzar further instructed the TWGs to submit a list of lands suitable for housing, human settlements and urban development that are subject for acquisition and development.