MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will be providing decent and affordable housing to the country’s agrarian reform beneficiaries through a housing loan program in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and 19 local governments.
The program, called Balai Farmers and Farmworkers’ Housing Program, will provide farmers duplex-type housing units with two bedrooms each, covering 37 square meters. According to DAR official Roberto Gavina, the land and its development, as well as the provision of livelihood, will be free of charge.
The housing unit, however, will be paid for by the farmer-beneficiaries through their cooperatives at P1,475 a month on average, payable in 30 years.
“The provision of housing is demand-driven and payment will be based on the farmers’ capacity to pay, where the maximum term of housing loan will be at 30 years and amortization payment scheme will be based on cropping and harvest schedule of farmers,” Agrarian Reform Undersecretary Emily Padilla said.