PART I: RESPONDING TO THE BASIC NEEDS

     Chapter 6. Housing and Community Development

I. Summary

 

   The objective for housing is to meet the rapidly growing demand for affordable and decent housing in the formal and informal sectors and create employment opportunities through construction activities and ancillary services. 

   The housing sector delivered 23,084 units of housing assistance1in 2008 from major housing programs and the housing component of the Bicol Rehabilitation Plan (Figure 6.1).  The output was 22.16 percent higher compared to the previous year’s figure and represents 49.67 percent of the estimated annual housing need of 46,466 units.   It is 72.75 percent of the target set in the updated housing plan. 

    The sector generated a total of 64,400 units of jobs2 in 2008.

 

Figure 6.1 Housing Performance, Bicol Region, CY 2008 vs CY 2007

                   Sources:  HUDCC 5, NHA, Pag-ibig, DSWD 

 

   The programs on housing include:  Housing Loan Program, Resettlement Assistance Program to Local Government Units (RAP-LGUs), Resettlement Program and Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP).                                                                                                                 

   President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued three proclamations to provide security of land tenure to urban poor and informal settlers in the Bicol region.  Presidential Proclamation 40 involved 139 hectares of unutilized properties of the Philippine National Railways in Albay.  Proclamation No. 593 covered barangays Caroyroyan and San Jose in Pili, Camarines Sur.  Proclamation No. 653 covered a parcel of land in Barangay 2 - EM’s Barrio South, Legazpi City.

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¹ A “unit of housing assistance” is a contact-based measure.  If one household receives, say, production assistance from NHA, financing from NHMFC, and credit guarantee from HIGC (indirectly), then three units of housing assistance will be recorded, rather than assistance to one household.
² Constructing a house involves an average of eight people/workers and requires 124 man-days

II. Assessment 

 Housing for All

   The focus of the sector is on implementing Housing for All by making loans more available and affordable for the formal and informal sectors. Pag-ibig fund’s housing loans programs were liberalized to respond to the demand of its members. The agency’s reduced interest rates for housing loans resulted to more members availing of the facility. 

 

   The Housing Loan Program and Resettlement Assistance Program to Local Government Units (RAP-LGUs) contributed to the sector’s output in Housing for All. The former accounted for 82.57 percent of the housing production valued at P637.251 million benefiting some 1,633 homeowners. The RAP-LGUs of the National Housing Authority (NHA), on the other hand, completed 418 units in the Calabanga Resettlement Project.

Table 6.1 Housing for All, Bicol Region, CY 2008 vs CY 2007

                      Sources:  HUDCC 5, NHA, Pag-ibig

    Both housing programs registered positive growth compared to the previous year’s output. The Pag-ibig Housing Loans Program contributed the biggest growth at 46.56 percent while the RAP-LGUs at 9.52 percent.

 Rehabilitation from Typhoons Milenyo and Reming

   Another priority is to develop new resettlement sites, expand existing ones and provide housing materials assistance to   families who were victims of typhoons Milenyo and Reming. 

 

   The housing sector delivered a total of 20,686 units in 2008 valued at P659.904 million (Table 6.2).  The Resettlement Program which was funded solely from the Bicol Calamity Assistance Rehabilitation Effort (B-CARE) fund amounted to more than P383 million and completed 5,652 units. 

 

   On the other hand, the Housing Materials Assistance Program accounted for the bulk of the output at 61.63 percent.  These benefited a total of 12,750 families.

 

   The Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided core shelter units to 2,284 families. The total investment amounted to P228.76 million. It came from four major sources, namely:  1) B-CARE; 2) Kalinga-Luzon; 3) Quick Response Fund; and 4) Social Security System.

Table 6.2 Disaster Rehabilitation/Resettlement, Bicol Region,
CY 2008 vs CY 2007

                      Sources:  HUDCC 5, NHA, DSWD

 Security of Land Tenure

   President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued several proclamations to provide security of land tenure to urban poor and informal settlers in the region.  Presidential Proclamation 40 involved 139 hectares of unutilized properties of the Philippine National Railways in Albay.   For 2008, 139 families in barangays Tayhi and Bacolod of Tabaco City received Certificate of Entitlement for Lot Award or CELA from the city government (Table 6.3).  An on-going survey is being conducted in the municipality of Bacacay, Albay that would benefit informal settler families in barangays Panarayon, Sogod and Hindi.

 

   Proclamation No. 593 covered barangays Caroyroyan and San Jose in Pili, Camarines Sur.  The provincial government of Camarines Sur conducted relocation and subdivision survey of the area in 2008 based on the various stakeholders/claimants, e.g., Philippine Army, Philippine Coconut Authority, Pili National High School, Camarines Sur State Agricultural College and the informal settlers.   Barangay Caroyroyan, however, requested for a re-survey of the area since the result of the survey would have impact on the area of jurisdiction of the barangay.  

 

   Proclamation No. 653 covered a parcel of land in Barangay 2 - EM’s Barrio South, Legazpi City.  A total of 145 families received CELA. There were however 22 lots occupied that needed to be settled because these were affected by a 69 KV right-of-way limit of Transco that traversed the area.  The subdivision plan originally approved by the city government of Legazpi did not reflect the existing Transco facility.

Table 6.3 Land/Housing for Informal Settlers, Bicol Region,

CY 2008 vs CY 2007

                      Source:  HUDCC 5

 Employment Generation 

   The sector generated a total of 64,400 units of jobs3in 2008. This was more than 300 percent higher than the output in the previous year and represented more than 42 percent of the total housing target for the plan period (Table 6.4).  Resettlement Program funded by B-CARE accounted much of the total jobs created.  The sector is on track to achieve the target at the end of the plan period.

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³ Constructing a house involves an average of eight people/workers and requires 124 man-days.

Table 6.4 Jobs Created, Bicol Region, CY 2008 vs CY 2007

Housing Program	Actual CY 2008	Actual CY 2007	Percent Change	2005-2010 Fighting Targets	Percent Accomplish-ment
Pag-ibig Housing Loan Program	15,840	10,808	46.56	57,296	27.65
Institutional Loans	0	0	0	12,800	0
Resettlement Program	3,344	3,696	-9.52	20,721	16.14
Resettlement-CARE	45,216	0	0	-	0
Completed Housing	0	0	0	5,592	0
CBHP	0	0	0	7,472	0
Medium Rise Housing	0	1,200	0	-	0
LHP	0	0	0	-	0
Total	64,400	15,704	310.09	98,289	65.52

         Sources:  HUDCC 5, NHA, Pag-ibig

III. Prospects and Trends for 2009 

   The sector shall continue to provide more opportunities for Bicolanos to own affordable and decent housing.  It shall continue to implement Housing for All by making loans more available and affordable for the formal and informal sector especially the socialized and low-cost housing. 

 

   The Slum Upgrading Program of the National Housing Authority which is in the pipeline would benefit the 145 families in Legazpi City.

 

   The government shall complete the regularization of tenure of informal settlers. It shall complete the expansion of existing resettlement sites and develop new ones. It shall also help families affected by calamities rebuild their homes and communities.