A measure seeking to improve the delivery of socialized housing programs has hurdled second reading at the House of Representatives.

During the plenary session on Wednesday, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 10772, which seeks to amend Sections 10, 18 and 20 of Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act.

Quezon City Representative Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar said the objective of the bill is to provide decent and affordable housing to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas.

“Housing is an essential component of human well-being, a necessity that provides not only physical shelter but also a sense of security, stability, and community. Access to adequate and affordable housing is a fundamental human right and is considered an important indicator of a country’s social and economic development as one of the factors that dictate the quality of life of a citizen,” Co-Pilar said.

The housing backlog problem, Co-Pilar noted, partly reflects the inadequacy of land allocation for residential projects, configured monitoring body, and the level of private sector involvement.

The bill proposes to include direct purchase and unsolicited proposals under the Public-Private Partnership Law as modes of land acquisition for socialized housing.

The proposed law shall also institutionalize incentivized compliance to the balanced housing program.

According to the bill’s authors, the idea behind the balanced housing policy of government is a “counterpoint to gentrification” so that as housing development increases in a specific LGU, the lower demographics and those who have lower income are not eased out of affordable homes in the same area where real estate development is happening.

The bill seeks to hasten the delivery of housing units to its intended beneficiaries through the simplification of requirements of local government units (LGUs).

Co-Pilar said the bill ensures that LGUs would benefit from housing development in their localities, and that LGUs ideally could leverage the private sector´s balanced housing compliance to build socialized housing for low-income constituents

Subdivision and condominium developers who opt to pay the equivalent project cost in compliance to the Balanced Housing Development Program shall be authorized to give to the LGU the amount equivalent to 5 to 15 percent of the total project cost to be used exclusively for socialized housing programs.

In case the LGU does not have a lot for such programs, developers shall be authorized to offer and provide the equivalent amount to other LGUs which do have lots which may be used for socialized housing. (PNA)