FEB.

23, 2014

NR # 3386

House approves bill on disposition of government owned lands

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure that will prescribe the mechanisms to facilitate the disposition of idle-government-owned lands for socialized housing. The measure, also known as the Idle Government- wned !ands "isposition #ct of $%&', was sponsored b( the House )ommittee on Housing and *rban "evelopment chaired b( Rep. #lfredo +enitez ,'rd "istrict, -egros ccidental.. *nder the measure, the Housing and *rban "evelopment )oordinating )ouncil ,H*")). in coordination with the "epartment of /nvironment and -atural Resources ,"/-R. is mandated to conduct an inventor( of all idle government-owned lands owned b( the national government which have not been used for the purpose for which the( have been reserved for the &% (ears. The "epartment of Interior and !ocal Government ,"I!G. through the local government units ,!G*s. shall conduct an inventor( of all idle government-owned lands in the municipalit( level and should furnish the H*")) a cop( of its inventor( for monitoring purposes. The -ational Housing #uthorit( ,-H#. in coordination with the !and 0anagement +ureau ,!0+. shall identif( and set aside inventories idle government lands owned b( the national government that are suitable for socialized housing. The !G*s then shall identif( and set aside inventoried idle government lands owned b( the local government that are suitable for socialized housing, with the assistance from the Housing and !and *se Regulator( +oard. #t least &%1 of government-owned lands not set aside for socialized housing be sold, alienated and encumbered for development purposes, or at least ten percent of the proceeds of the sale thereof, be segregated or allocated for socialized housing pro2ects. !ow-salaried emplo(ees of the government agenc( who have sold, alienated, or otherwise encumbered such idle land shall be given first priorit( as beneficiaries of the socialized housing pro2ects to be developed. The !G* shall cause the undertaking of the development of socialized housing pro2ects while the -H# shall undertake the provision of socialized housing for the underprivileged and homeless citizens for lands or funds set aside for socialized housing . The -H# and the !G* concerned are authorized to enter into 2oint venture

agreements with private developers or non-governmental organizations ,-G s. engaged in housing production, provided that the cost of housing units shall e3clude the cost of land if constructed within the affected area or localit(. The H*")) and the "/-R are directed to promulgate the necessar( rules and regulations, including the mechanisms and procedures on the conduct of inventor( and identification of lands suitable for socialized housing. In drafting the implementing rules and regulations, the -ational *rban "evelopment and Housing 4ramework described in Republic #ct. -o 5$56 shall be taken into consideration. The measure e3empts all lands ac7uired comprising assets of government financial institutions and government-owned or controlled corporations engaged in shelter financing. The authors of the bill are Reps. Rodolfo +iazon ,!one "istrict, 0untinlupa )it(., #gapito Guanlao ,8art( !ist, +util., 9oseph Gilbert :iolago ,$ nd "istrict, -ueva /ci2a., #mado +agatsing ,;th "istrict, 0anila., )hristopher )o ,8art( !ist, #ko +icol., /ric <ingson ,$nd "istrict, Ilocos <ur., =inston )astelo ,$ nd "istrict, >uezon )it(., Rodel +atocabe ,8art( !ist, #ko +icol., ?avier 9esus Romualdo ,!one "istrict, )amiguin., and #nthon( "el Rosario ,&st "istrict, "avao "el -orte.. ,'%. jc