Strengthening of National Government Center Housing Committee

August 16, 1996

MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 391

STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CENTER HOUSING COMMITTEE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, pursuant to the provisions of Act No. 3036, Proclamation No. 137, series of 1987, declared a certain portion of the National Government Center site at Quezon City, consisting of one hundred fifty (150) hectares, open for disposition;

WHEREAS, Memorandum Order No. 151, dated 27 January 1988 created the National Government Center Housing Committee, referred to as the Committee, to take charge of the implementation of the National Government Housing Project, referred to as the Project, which is aimed at replicating new and alternative strategies of project implementation for social housing in Area for Priority Development areas;

WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 248, series of 1993, amending Proclamation No. 137, declared that the portion of the National Government Center site, which has been identified under Proclamation No. 137, shall be: (a) open for vertical development with the medium rise building as an alternative socialized housing package; and (b) disposed of to bonafide residents thereat, as of 28 March 1992, with portions of the site deemed conducive to livelihood and commercial activities being developed to harness and maximize economic and development opportunities for the beneficiaries and communities thereat;

WHEREAS, in the light of the foregoing provisions of Proclamation No. 248, the need for major adjustments in the activities and timetable for the Project, including the formulation and setting up of additional required support mechanisms, have become inevitable and imperative;

WHEREAS, the completion of the Project necessitates its extension beyond December 1996 and the strengthening of the Committee to make the Project more responsive to the needs of the housing beneficiaries;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. Representation of People's Organizations (POs) in the National Government Center Housing Committee (NGCHC). — Section 1 (a) and (c) of Memorandum Order No. 151, series of 1988, are hereby amended to read as follows:

a. "Composition. The NGC Housing Committee shall be composed of a distinguished citizen and leader from either the government or private sector to be appointed by the President, as Chairman; the Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) as Co-Chairman and the Chairman of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), the Mayor of Quezon City, the General Manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Secretary of Public Works and Highways, Presidents of Samahang Maralita Para sa Makataong Paninirahan (SAMA-SAMA) and Kaagapay sa Makatarungan at Pantay na Paninirahan, Inc. (KAMPI), and the heads of the association/federations of awarded/settled beneficiaries, to be appointed by the President, as members."

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c. "Voting Rights. While each People's Organization representative to the Committee shall have speaking rights, their voting rights shall constitute as one vote, equal to all the government agencies which shall likewise constitute one vote in policy decisions affecting the Project. In case no consensus is reached, the Chairman of the Committee shall have the authority to make the final decision."

SECTION 2. The Project Administrator. — Section 2 of Memorandum Order No. 151 is hereby amended to read as follows:

"Project Administrator. The Committee is authorized to appoint the Project Administrator who will take charge and be responsible for the completion of the Project. The Project Administrator shall have the authority to designate two (2) deputy administrators, one of whom may be from the nominees for the People's Organizations represented in the Committee. In addition, the Project Administrator shall encourage the participation of non-government organizations (NGOs) operating in the area as resource persons."

SECTION 3. Support Agencies. — Section 3 of Memorandum Order No. 151 is hereby amended to include the following agencies with their specific functions:

a. Department of Interior and Local Government — to assist in the prevention of professional squatters, squatter syndicates and the like:

b. Local Government of Quezon City — to facilitate the approval of land surveys, issuance of development permits and land and development requirements for the Project;

c. Land Management Bureau — to assist in land verification and technical research;

d. Home Insurance Guaranty Corporation — to supervise the establishment of the Commonwealth Enterprise (CEZ) to be composed of the public market, productivity and enterprise zones.

SECTION 4. Community Dialogues/Consultations. — Community dialogues/ consultations shall not be limited to organized beneficiaries. Housing beneficiaries who opt to be independent from any people's organization shall likewise be consulted whenever appropriate.

SECTION 5. Accelerated Implementation of the Project. — The Committee is hereby directed to fast-track the implementation of the Project. If deemed necessary, the Committee is authorized, through the HUDCC, to enter into agreements with concerned agencies and private entities to ensure the Project's completion. Furthermore, to guarantee the realization of the objectives of Proclamation Nos. 137 and 248, the Project shall be accomplished by 31 December 2000.

SECTION 6. Saving Clause. — All other provisions of Memorandum Order No. 151, not inconsistent herewith, shall remain valid and effective.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Memorandum Order shall take effect immediately.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 16th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Six.