Authorizing the NHA to Award to Other Qualified Beneficiaries the Unawarded Housing Units, Awarded Housing Units That Are Not Yet Occupied and Whose Ownership and Possession Are Surrendered by Their Respective Awardees, and Housing Units Whose Respective Awards Were Cancelled in the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BUCOR Housing Projects

May 9, 2018

JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2

JOINT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY TO AWARD TO OTHER QUALIFIED BENEFICIARIES THE UNAWARDED HOUSING UNITS, AWARDED HOUSING UNITS THAT ARE NOT YET OCCUPIED AND WHOSE OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION ARE SURRENDERED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE AWARDEES, AND HOUSING UNITS WHOSE RESPECTIVE AWARDS WERE CANCELLED IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES (AFP)/PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP)/BUREAU OF FIRE PROTECTION (BFP)/BUREAU OF JAIL MANAGEMENT AND PENOLOGY (BJMP)/BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS (BUCOR) HOUSING PROJECTS

WHEREAS, Section 9, Article XIII, Constitution mandates the State to, "by law, and for the common good, undertake, in cooperation with the private sector, a continuing program of urban land reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost decent housing and basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlement areas.";

WHEREAS, the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 cites that despite the efforts of key shelter agencies, housing needs for the period 2011 to 2016 stood at an estimated 5.55 million units, with some 16 percent living in unacceptable housing and another 8.83 percent living in doubled-up households in acceptable housing;

WHEREAS, the housing need is expected to increase to 6.8 million units during the period 2017 to 2022, which includes increase in inventory losses due to households affected by natural calamities and project-affected families due to expected accelerated infrastructure spending;

WHEREAS, notwithstanding the huge housing need, the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 cites limited appropriations as one of the challenges faced by the housing sector;

WHEREAS, recognizing that low-salaried government employees are part of the statistics that comprise the overall housing need, the government has declared it a policy through Administrative Order No. 9, s. 2011, "to improve the welfare of government employees, including military and police personnel, by providing them and their families with decent and affordable shelter";

WHEREAS, Administrative Order No. 9, s. 2011, directed the National Housing Authority (NHA) to implement the "AFP/PNP Housing Project" and provide permanent housing sites for qualified low-salaried members of the AFP and PNP;

WHEREAS, the project was expanded to include employees of the BFP, and BJMP through a Memorandum from the Executive Secretary in November 2011 and, later on in February 2012, BuCor personnel were likewise covered;

WHEREAS, the funding complement for the implementation of Administrative Order No. 9, s. 2011, was released through the General Appropriations Act for the years 2013 to 2015;

WHEREAS, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), a total of P20.779 Billion was already released for the implementation of the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BuCor Housing Projects with a target of 74,195 housing units as of March 31, 2017;

WHEREAS, according to the Commission on Audit (COA) Report on the NHA for CY 2016, on the one hand, the target housing units for completion were 68,689 units, the completed housing units reached 62,472 of which only 7,143 were occupied and that the unoccupied units totaled 55,329;

WHEREAS, according to the NHA, on the other hand, out of a target of 74,195 housing units as of 31 July 2017, 63,836 units were fully completed, and of the completed units, only 8,837 units are occupied;

WHEREAS, the COA concluded that the low occupancy rate of the completed housing units will result in the loss of opportunity for government to recover costs that can be spent for other social projects, fast deterioration of the units, exposure of the units to the risk of being occupied by families/persons other than the intended beneficiaries, and deprivation of the intended beneficiaries of the timely use of and benefits from the program;

WHEREAS, the low occupancy rate of the completed housing units by their intended beneficiaries is a clear indication of a failed program in the face of the magnitude of the need for housing;

WHEREAS, like the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BuCor personnel, many Filipinos are in need of housing, and these include other low-salaried government employees like public school teachers, employees of the city or municipality that has jurisdiction over the housing project, barangay officials and employees, the informal settlers in the area where the project is located, and other underprivileged and homeless families in urban centers and in areas affected by government infrastructure and developmental projects who all deserve a roof over their heads;

WHEREAS, given the gargantuan housing need to be addressed and the limited resources of government, the need to make sure that these resources, in particular the housing units in the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BuCor Housing Projects, are put to good use, not left to deteriorate, and not allowed to go to waste has become, now more than ever, paramount — thus requiring the immediate awarding to other qualified beneficiaries of the following: AaCTcI

(a) unawarded housing units;

(b) awarded housing units that are not yet occupied and whose ownership and possession are surrendered by their respective awardees in favor of another unit in another housing project; and

(c) housing units whose respective awards were cancelled by reason of default in the payment of amortization or for any violation of the terms and conditions of the individual loan agreement in accordance with existing laws;

WHEREAS, the housing need faced by the country is too huge to be ignored and it will, without doubt, serve public good and welfare if the aforestated housing units in the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BuCor Housing Projects are awarded by the NHA to other low-salaried government employees and other qualified beneficiaries, giving priority to those belonging to the lowest thirty percent (30%) of the urban income-earners, consistent with its mandate: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, as it is hereby resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in Congress assembled, To authorize the NHA to award to other qualified beneficiaries the unawarded housing units, awarded housing units that are not yet occupied and whose ownership and possession are surrendered by their respective awardees in favor of another unit in another housing project, and housing units whose respective awards were cancelled by reason of default in the payment of amortization or for any violation of the terms and conditions of the individual loan agreement in accordance with existing laws in the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP/BuCor Housing Projects;

Resolved, further, To direct the NHA Board to convene within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Joint Resolution for the purpose of formulating the rules and regulations necessary to ensure the efficient award of the aforestated housing units;

Resolved, finally, That existing laws and issuances contrary to the provisions of this Joint Resolution shall be deemed amended upon the approval of this Joint Resolution.

Approved: May 9, 2018.