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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Ask and you shall be given': Solons vow generosity as they help DHSUD solve housing backlog

'Ask and you shall be given': Solons vow generosity as they help DHSUD solve housing backlog

Published Sep 1, 2025 09:51 pm

At A Glance

  • House lawmakers on Monday, Sep. 1, promised to be generous to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) as it reported the persistent backlog in its housing program due to budgetary constraints.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (PPAB)
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (PPAB)
House lawmakers on Monday, Sep. 1, promised to be generous to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) as it reported the persistent backlog in its housing program due to budgetary constraints.
"Ask and you shall be given," Cagayan de Oro 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez told DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, during the House Committee on Appropriations' budget hearing with the agency.
Rodriguez showed his frustration during the budget deliberations of DHSUD as he remarked: "It is clear, for the past many years, we have just given lip service to housing this country."
"It's about time that this Congress... should really look into the needs of the Housing department," he said, especially as Aliling reported that the agency had a backlog of 2.2 million housing units.
In fact, the agency is now already relying on the private sector to produce socialized housing for poor Filipino families.
Aliling said they tried to call for an increase of the department's budget, but it was denied by the executive branch.
DHSUD's proposed budget for 2025 was P22.5 billion, but it was not granted. Instead, the department ended up with a P6.35-billion budget; it was expected to become even lower in 2026.
"Kaya naman po kami hindi humihingi ng (The reason why we did not ask for) additional fund, we want to respect the process," Aliling said.
"Dumaan po kami sa proseso, sinubukan na po naming magpaliwanag. Unfortunately, ito po ang nabigay samin ng (We underwent a process. We tried to explain ourselves. Unfortunately, that's what we were only given by) NEP (National Expenditure Program). So we want to respect the decision of the DBM (Department of Budget and Management)," he added.
A visibly irate Rodriguez responded by saying that he did not agree with what the housing chief's reasoning.
"The secretary should fight always for an increase. You are the head. You do not say we don't need a budget. I am disappointed by that statement earlier that he's not asking additional budget... You should not say that," Rodriguez said.
"We have the power of the purse... We should give more," Rodriguez emphasized, as he noted that DHSUD was an "equally important" department.
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, who was the next interpellator after Rodriguez, concurred with the Mindanaoan. 
He says he is one of those in Congress "who will fully support efforts to increase the  budget for the poorest of the poor familie so they can have houses".
Rodriguez called on his fellow government officials to "work it out" because the national government had "trillions of budget" at its disposal.
"We should be able to look at that, because you have been a poor cousin of all departments. You're the poorest," he added.
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