A congressional leader has filed a measure that would help delinquent beneficiaries of the government’s housing program keep their houses without fear of being ejected.
In filing House Bill 1925 or the proposed “NHA Amnesty and Acquisition Act of 2023,” Rep. Florida Robes of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan said there are thousands of beneficiaries who are set to be ejected due to their failure to pay monthly amortizations.
Robes’ bill aims to authorize the NHA to grant amnesty or condone the unpaid amortization/lease payments to ease the burden of the beneficiaries, or acquire the units from the original awardees in
order to be allocated and awarded to qualified beneficiaries through the Build Better and More (BBM) and the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing Program (4PH).
In her bill, she noted the low occupancy rate for the government housing program.
“[This was] mainly due to the failure of the beneficiaries to pay the monthly amortization and/or association dues, resulting to selling their rights or leasing-out their units to other individuals and entities,” Robes said.
Robes also underscored reports that some of the beneficiaries have used their units as collateral for unregulated private and personal loans by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas which gives the creditor unilateral right to seize the units in their favor.
“In effect, it defeats the very purpose of the government housing programs and NHA initiatives to provide decent and affordable housing for the underprivileged and marginalized Filipino citizens,” she said.
Robes said her bill covers all NHA projects such as house and lot, medium rise buildings, and condominiums including the improvement and rights that are:
– Delinquent Accounts;
– Illegally/unlawfully transferred, sold, leased, sublet encumbered and mortgaged illegally by the original awardees or otherwise dispose of his/her lot and/ or units;
– Abandoned;
– Unoccupied – has no legitimate record of award and/or registration under the name of any beneficiary; and
– Cancelled and surrendered due to violation of the NHA Occupancy Rules and Regulations.
Robes cited Section 9 of Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution which states that “urban or rural poor dwellers shall not be evicted nor their dwelling demolished, except in accordance with law and in a just and humane manner.”
The provision also states that “no resettlement of urban or rural dwellers shall be undertaken without adequate consultation with them and the communities where they are to be relocated.”
Under her bill, the NHA shall be mandated to come up with uniform guidelines to govern the amnesty/condonation; or cancellation, acquisition, and awarding of units to qualified beneficiaries.
Robes’ bill also calls for an inventory and verification of all NHA housing units prior to the implementation of the amnesty program.
