Conduct of Continuing Housing Fair for Public and Private Sector Employees and Overseas Filipino Workers

August 4, 2008

MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 160

CONDUCT OF CONTINUING HOUSING FAIR FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYEES AND OVERSEAS FILIPINO WORKERS

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State to afford employees the requirements of decent human settlement and to provide them with ample opportunities to improve their quality of life; HEacAS

WHEREAS, the National Shelter Program of the government addresses the housing requirements of both the informal and formal sectors of society, including employees in the public and private sector;

WHEREAS, the Government through the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), its key shelter agencies, namely, the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC), the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), and the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the government financial institutions with home lending operations, have agreed to forge a strategic alliance towards the attainment of the goals and objectives of the National Shelter Program;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 662 (s. 1995) declares the month of October every year as National Shelter Month;

WHEREAS, several acquired properties were sold under the Housing Fair program since its inception in October 2006 translating to significant earnings for the participating Key Shelter Agencies and Government Financial Institutions;

WHEREAS, in celebration of the National Shelter Month, all branches of the government are enjoined to actively participate in the Housing Fair as well as enlist the private sector groups and non-government organizations to attain the goals and objectives of the Housing Fair.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order: TEAaDC

SECTION 1. A Housing Fair shall be conducted every year during the month of October in celebration of the National Shelter Month.

SECTION 2. The disposition of eligible acquired properties of the key shelter agencies and government financial institutions, including those that have not been auctioned off, shall be opened to all government employees, private sector employees and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

For this purpose, the requirement for government agencies to publish their acquired properties, prior to disposition, shall be temporarily lifted during the duration of the Housing Fair.

SECTION 3. Payments for housing units that will be sold during the Housing Fair shall be subject to salary deduction; provided that the authorized deductions shall not reduce the monthly net take-home pay of any employee to an amount lower than Three Thousand Pesos (P3,000.00) pursuant to Section 41 of Republic Act No. 9336.

SECTION 4. An Inter-agency Committee is hereby created to draw up the guidelines and set forth the terms and conditions for the sale of eligible acquired properties under the program. The Inter-agency Committee shall be composed of the following; CTEDSI

Chairman	-	Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
Members	-	Home Development Mutual Fund
		National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation
		Home Guaranty Corporation
		National Housing Authority
		Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
		Social Security System
		Government Service Insurance System

SECTION 5. This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 4th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.