Barangay security officers, locally referred to as barangay tanod and other barangay workers will be included in the government’s housing program, the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) said. 

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the inclusion of barangay workers is stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which he signed with Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos.

“The DHSUD and DILG agreement targets indigent barangay tanod, day care teachers, response team workers, other qualified employees, whether permanent, contractual or casual, and ISFs as buyer-beneficiaries of the affordable housing units,” said Acuzar.

“The MOU signing will also pave the way for the conduct of preliminary activities for the execution of “Pambansang Pabahay” (national housing) down to the barangay level,” he added.

Based on the agreement, the DHSUD will assist the barangays in the preparation of the necessary documents and in securing the required permits and licenses issued by national government agencies.

The DILG, on the other hand, shall assist the barangays to carry out the beneficiary listing which includes social preparation, ISF (Informal settler family) census enumeration, socio-economic profiling and establishment of social parameters.

Abalos, for his part, said he would tap the local government units to look and allocate parcel of land for the project.

“We all know that LGUs, most of them have the property [land resources]. They know what property they could contribute and this is what we are harnessing today,” said Abalos.