P100B budget eyed for homeless, but not yet in DHSUD proposal

MANILA,  Philippines — The government is proposing an additional P100 billion budget next year for homeless Filipinos.

The funding for this, however, was not yet reflected in the P6.363 billion budget proposal of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) that was submitted to the Senate.

This was revealed on Tuesday while Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III was scrutinizing the DHSUD’s budget on the Senate floor.

Pimentel pointed out that under the DHSUD Act, the agency is mandated, among others, “to formulate housing policies and programs such as public housing” for the homeless and underprivileged families

“So aware tayo sa mandatong ito (we are aware of this mandate), Mr. Secretary?”  the senator asked, apparently referring to DHSUD Sec. Jose Acuzar, who was assisting the sponsor of the agency’s budget, Sen. Risa Hontiveros.

Pimentel then proceeded to ask about the agency’s programs for the homeless.

Responding on behalf of the DHSUD, Hontiveros initially said that the agency has a complementary housing program for the bottom 30 percent.

“Sa budget sa 2025, meron? How much? Wala nga kaming mahanap, Mr. President, actually,” Pimentel said.

(In the 2025 budget, is there any? How much? We actually can’t find anything, Mr. President.)

Hontiveros explained that outside the funding being designed by the agency through the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino or 4PH,  it also has various complementary housing programs such as public rental housing, housing support for families living in danger areas, and housing support for families affected by disasters.

However, Pimentel wanted specifics and asked for the address or the names of the projects where the homeless Filipinos are currently housed.

At this point, Hontiveros admitted that the DHSUD has yet to submit all these details to the Senate.

“Kung tunay na may plano ang DHSUD for the homeless, magkano naman po ang sumatutal ng capital requirement nung plano niyo for the homeless?” Pimentel  asked again.

(If DHSUD truly has a plan for the homeless, how much is the total capital requirement for your plan for the homeless?)

“This would come, Mr. President, to a total of around P100 billion,” Hontiveros answered.

According to her, the estimated budget for public rental housing is P23.86 billion, P238.17 million for housing support for families living in danger areas, and P34 billion for housing support for families affected by disasters.

READ: DHSUD asks for funding guarantees for housing program 

When Pimentel inquired, however, if these funding requirements were already reflected in the DHSUD budget proposal, Hontiveros answered in the negative.

“Ito po, Mr. President, ang pinapa-submit na additional, so hindi pa siya reflected sa 2025 proposed GAA (General Appropriations Act),” she said.

(Mr. President, this is the additional part that is being requested for submission, so it has not yet been reflected in the 2025 proposed GAA.)

Upon hearing this, Pimentel remarked: “So si homeless, ang program for the homeless, na overtaken nitong condominium project natin for the minimum wage earner and above. Is that the reality, Mr. President?”

“Maybe may housing needs din sila (they also have housing needs), we can call them homeless, but they are employed, minimum wage earners and above…” he continued.

“But the real homeless, ‘yung mga nasa streets, sa daan na nakikita namin, e ano pa, wishlist pa?” he asked.

(But the real homeless, the ones on the streets, the ones we see along the roads—it remains a wish list?)

READ: Lawmakers: Housing program too costly for gov’t, poor 

Hontiveros clarified it was not completely a wish list, saying that the program for the homeless was proceeding alongside the shift to the 4PH program.