Chamber of Real Estate & Builders' Associations, Inc.

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From the Chairman

Charlie A.V. Gorayeb

Charlie A.V. Gorayeb

Chairman of the Board, CREBA Chairman, CREBA Advocacy & Legislative Affairs Committee Honorary Consul General, Republic of Djibouti

CREBA’s 5-point Agenda for Housing

For now until the end of this year, the Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. or CREBA trains its focus on key legislative issues that seek to address the totality of the Philippine housing situation.

CREBA’s five-point agenda for housing encompasses the following major areas of concern:  

  1. Long-term and affordable funds for Socialized and Economic Housing – A proposed bill amending R.A. 7835 or the Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Finance Act (CISFA) of 1994
  2. Affordable Homes for Employees in Urban Areas – A proposed bill amending R.A. 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) of 1992
  3. Lands for Residential, Commercial and Industrial Development – A proposed bill instituting a National Land Use Policy
  4. Efficient Local Government Housing Regulations – A proposed bill mandating all cities and first to third class municipalities to create a Local Housing Board, amending for the purpose related provisions of R.A. 7160 or the Local Government Act of 1991
  5. A Full-fledged Housing and Urban Development Department – A proposed bill creating the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD)

This five-point agenda, CREBA believes, is the most effective, doable and strong package of reforms that works to the benefit of government, the home buying public and the private sector. 

It is so designed to bring about permanent and far-reaching solutions to our current and future housing problems as opposed to palliative roadmaps which address only the peripheries of the housing situation but not its core.

The 5.5 million housing backlog is too huge to be ignored. The nagging housing problem transcends many other facets of the nation’s over-all economic and social development. Overcoming this condition will require the application of innovative government approaches coupled with creative strategies by the private sector.

If properly supported and allowed to unfold, CREBA’s proposal demonstrates the clear possibility of effectively addressing the housing backlog and cope up with future demand in 20 years by achieving an annual housing production target of 500,000 units. This should be addressed to enable the State to fulfil its constitutional mandate to provide decent and affordable shelter to all its citizens.

Just as importantly, the annual production target will collectively pump prime the national economy by opening new job opportunities in the hundreds of thousands, increasing income for about 75 related industries and businesses nationwide and generating tax revenues for both local and national governments.

CREBA relentlessly appeals to government to consider these proposals which the Chamber will be ready to discuss and pursue for the benefit of the whole country and its people. 

We hope that you will monitor the upcoming editions of the CREBA Speaks as we bring you in full details each of CREBA’s 5-point agenda for housing.

Published in the Manila Bulletin November 2014

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