House passes bill allowing use of idle gov’t land for socialized housing

House of Representatives. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Notice any idle government-owned land in your area? There is a possibility it may soon be used for socialized housing.

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the Idle Government-Owned Lands Disposition Act of 2013. If passed into law, it will require the inventory of all idle lands owned by the government.

The lands, not used for the purpose they have been reserved for in the last 10 years, will be monitored and listed by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

The National Housing Authority (NHA) and local government units (LGUs) should then identify national and LGU-owned lands suitable for socialized housing. Meanwhile, at least 10 percent of the lands not set aside for socialized housing should be sold and 10 percent of the proceeds of its
sale allocated for housing projects.

The bill, sponsored by the House committee on housing and urban development, states that the government agency that owned the sold land shall prioritize its low-salaried employees as beneficiaries of the socialized housing project.

Both the NHA and concerned LGU shall undertake the development and provision of the socialized housing project, with option to partner with private developers or non-government organizations.