The head of the Philippines’ Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has called for a review of the country’s housing laws, saying they must be updated to be “relevant and responsive to the present times.”
“We can’t be tied down by outdated policies if we want to improve our services,” Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said in a statement. He said the review aims to protect homebuyers and “upstanding developers.”
The call comes as several industry groups have voiced support for Aliling’s anti-corruption stance.
The Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) and the DHSUD Employees Association (DHSUDEA) both issued statements Friday backing the secretary’s “zero tolerance policy for corruption.”
“Integrity, transparency, and accountability are values that must guide every stakeholder,” the SHDA said, adding that “corruption has no place in our mission of building communities.”
The Construction Project Management Association of the Philippines (CPMAP) also supported Aliling’s “head-on and straightforwardly stand against this social cancer,” calling him an “inspiration.”
Aliling had said in a public speech last week that “even 1 percent of corruption is unacceptable.” He thanked stakeholders for their support and pledged the DHSUD’s commitment to “clean governance.”
