NHA workers won’t lose jobs if housing dep’t is formed

Photo by Tetch Torres/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—A lawmaker is urging those opposing the creation of a Department of Housing and Urban Development to keep an open mind, saying he believes the welfare of workers of the National Housing Authority is not being jeopardized in the move.

Marikina City Representative Miro Quimbo, former Pag-IBIG Fund president and chief executive officer, said that Vice-President Jejomar Binay, as the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), would likely ensure that workers of the NHA keep their jobs once the DHUD is formed.

He said that a change in composition did not necessarily mean “na mawawalan sila ng trabaho. Naniniwala ako na magre-require pa ito (DHUD) ng mas maraming kawani.”

“Sana maging bukas sila sa dayalogo sa Department of Housing and Urban Development. Pakinggan (sana nila) ang mungkahi galing sa HUDCC,” he told NHA employees, pointing out that Binay probably saw the NHA being “not responsive to the present situation… and the housing program is disjointed and not harmonious.”

House Bill 6231 which seeks to abolish the NHA and put up in its place a Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHPUD) was recently approved by the House committee on housing, led by its chairman, Oriental Mindoro Representative Rodolfo Valencia.

It is a substitute measure consolidating five separate bills on the issue authored by former president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Camarines Sur Representative Diosdado Arroyo, Muntinlupa City Representative Rodolfo Biazon, Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo, Pampanga Representative Carmelo Lazatin and Valencia.

If passed into law, the measure will create the DHPUD to consolidate, rationalize and coordinate the functions and powers of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), National Housing Authority (NHA) and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

Valencia earlier said that DHPUD will resolve existing housing agencies’ issues with streamlining and coordination efforts.

The bill is slated to be defended by House committee on government reorganization chairman Zamboanga del Norte Representative Cesar Jalosjos when it is taken up by the House plenary when Congress resumes session next month.

Meanwhile, the Senate has also recently approved on second reading Senate Bill 3199 which, similar to HB 6231, seeks to create the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DUHD).