THE House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill that would expand land acquisition, financing and public-private partnership options for socialized housing projects.
House Bill (HB) 9697 was approved by a vote of 205-3 with no abstentions. It amends Sections 10, 18 and 20 of Republic Act (RA) 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992, as amended by RA 10884, or the Balanced Housing Development Program Amendments, to speed up the delivery of socialized housing by widening the government’s options for acquiring land and developing projects.
Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos, one of the authors of HB 9697, said in a statement the measure “gives government and the private sector more workable routes to provide ordinary families with safe, dignified and affordable homes.” The bill would allow additional modes of land acquisition and project development, including community mortgages, land banking, land swapping, land consolidation, joint ventures, negotiated and direct purchases, donations and unsolicited proposals under the Public-Private Partnership Code.
It prioritizes idle, foreclosed and tax-delinquent properties for socialized housing. Qualified beneficiaries already occupying such land would be granted the right of first refusal.
Properties forfeited because of unpaid real property taxes would be prioritized for socialized housing, while qualified beneficiaries already occupying the land would receive the right of first refusal.
Subdivision developers would be required to provide socialized housing equivalent to at least 15 percent of the total project area or project cost, while the requirement for condominium and vertical housing developers will be at least 5 percent.
HB 9697 mandates one-stop shops for permits, requires licenses and clearances to be issued within 90 days, extends tax incentives for qualified projects and increases penalties for violations. Collected fines would be earmarked for socialized housing programs in the affected locality.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development would be required to issue implementing rules within 90 days of the law’s effectivity and submit evaluation reports to Congress every two years.
Besides Marcos, the bill’s other authors include Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Representatives Roy Loyola, Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar, Lani Mercado-Revilla, Bryan Revilla, Ramon Jolo Revilla III, Eric Olivarez, Leila de Lima, Howard Guintu, Jan Padiernos, Roman Romulo, Kenneth Paolo Tereng, Henry Oaminal Jr., Antolin Oreta III, Irene Labadlabad, Gerald Cloyd Alexis Galang, Antonio Ferrer, Elijah Rumbaoa San Fernando, Terry Ridon, Roy Gonzales, Sonny Lagon, Steve Chiongbian Solon, John Tracy Cagas, Antipolo City Rep. Ronaldo Puno, Edwin Gardiola, Miro Quimbo, Ernesto Dionisio Jr., Eleandro Jesus Madrona, Rolando Valeriano, Jennifer Lagbas, Rennee Co, Roger Gaviola Mercado, Munir Arbison Jr., Ferdinand Beltran, Sergio Dagooc, Maria Cristina Angeles, Zaldy Villa, Rufus Rodriguez, Amado Carlos Bolilia IV, Mark Anthony Santos, Kenneth Gatchalian, Waldredo Arman Dimaguila Jr., Audrey Kay Zubiri, Carl Nicolas Cari and Nelson Legacion.
