Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte (Rep. Villafuerte's office)

Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is prodding senators to approve a House-passed measure extending the corporate life of the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Villafuerte, National Unity Party (NUP) president, said doing so would allow the NHA to keep pursuing its mandate for the past 50 years to provide shelter to the lowest-income Filipino families in urban areas. 

“I am appealing to our senators to consider a measure passed last year by the House of Representatives that will let the NHA continue undertaking its urban land reform and housing program that makes available affordable and decent housing facilities with the basic services to the underprivileged and homeless,” Villafuerte, a lead author of House Bill (HB) No. 10172, said.

Villafuerte hoped the Senate could pass its counterpart bill before the 19th Congress ends in June, given that Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said in January that one of the priority bills of the Senate in its remaining session weeks is a measure strengthening the NHA.

Tolentino has authored Senate Bill (SB) No. 653, which aims to amend Presidential Decree (PD) No. 757 by extending its corporate term.  

The House passed HB No.10172, or the “National Housing Authority (NHA) Act,”  on third and final reading by a vote of 188-0 with no abstention, shortly before the 19th Congress went on recess last Sept. 25. 

HB No.10172 was authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez with Villafuerte, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, House Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos and some two dozen more legislators.

“HB No.10172 seeks to extend for 25 years the term—and strengthen the corporate powers—of the NHA to continue the pursuit of its objective of providing affordable and decent housing for underserved Filipino families or the lowest 30 percent of the urban population by way of slum upgrading, informal settler relocation, development of sites and services and construction of core housing units,” Villafuerte explained. 

The Bicolano said that the NHA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) that was established in 1975 on the strength of PD 757 issued then by the late President Marcos Sr. 

PD No.757 was amended by Executive Order (EO) No. 90 that was issued in 1986 by the late President Aquino.

“The Congress needs to extend the corporate life of the NHA in support of the State policy of sustaining an urban land reform and housing program that shall make available, affordable and decent housing with basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens,” said Villafuerte, “in line with the  Bagong Pilipinas vision of President Marcos to guarantee freedom from poverty and better living standards for all Filipinos.” 

In pursuit of the NHA’s strengthened mandate under HB No.10172 to expand the people's access to affordable, adequate, safe, and secure shelter in well-planned and sustainable communities, Villafuerte said the bill requires this agency to develop and sustain close partnerships with LGUs (local government units) to enhance and streamline the formulation, preparation, and implementation of housing programs.

The NHA is further tasked, he said, to develop and sustain investments in the housing and urban development sector by, among others, promoting partnerships, improving market linkages, simplifying government procedures, and facilitating access to finance.

Under the House-passed bill, he said that the NHA shall be attached to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for purposes of administrative supervision, policy and program coordination, monitoring, and evaluation.

Solons from both chambers will have a recess on Feb. 8 and will not resume session until June 2. The 19th Congress will then adjourn sine die on June 14.