SENATE, Pasay City — Despite strong opposition to the proposed condominium-style project of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD), Senator Maria Theresia ‘Risa’ Hontiveros-Baraquel insists that previous ‘proven successful’ initiatives such as the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) should not be abandoned with the DHSUD’s new Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program.

“We will sustain those proven, tried and tested components like the CMP. Let's sustain them. Then you can see if the new ideas like 4PH could help address our housing needs,” Hontiveros announced.

Continuation of the deliberations on DHSUD’s budget has been set on Monday next week (November 18, 2024) after the deferment of the plenary approval of the agency’s budget following Senate Minority Leader Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III’s disclosure that there were more questions the senators would like to raise with the department.

Earlier, Senator Cynthia Villar chided DHSUD over its condominium-style housing project, which she believes would benefit the middle class and not poor families whom the government’s housing program should prioritize rather than those with better financial capabilities.

Villar, whose family is into the real estate business, stressed that the DHSUD’s mandate is to provide housing projects for the poor and the homeless even as she cited the supposed situation in Las Piñas, where she said the homeless and the poor are encouraged to avail of the DHSUD’s condominium-style housing project, instead of providing them lands to build their house on through the CMP.

“Why are you prioritizing the 3.2 million housing for the middle class when your mandate is to help the poor and the homeless?” Villar questioned while noting that those who were offered with condominium-style housing project would have to pay ₱4,000 per month, which is more expensive compared to amortization of ₱500 per month under the CMP.

“The poor and the homeless can afford CMP, even the tricycle driver and the market vendors. But now, they are prioritizing condominium, which is expensive. It's for the middle-class, it's not for the poor. Then they will evict the poor from lots where they will erect the condominium. Where will they bring the poor?” she added.

However, Hontiveros, who is defending the DHSUD proposed budget, clarified that the condominium-style housing project would only require ₱2,600 per month payment, which could also go as low as ₱1,500 a month if the amortization subsidy is processed in partnership with the local government unit (LGU).

“The secretary said the medium-rise condominiums will be constructed on the lands where the informal settlers are currently located. The informal settlers will also be the ones who will occupy it,” she likewise explained.

Still, Villar insisted that the condominium-style housing project should not be prioritized as she asserted that marginalized families would not be able to afford it.

“Why will you insist on building them condominiums when you can distribute the land to them? If you give them the land, they will only have to pay ₱500 a month,” she pointed out.

“Why insist on building condominiums? Is it because the contractors will gain profit from it and they have kickbacks from its construction?

“I don’t think that’s practical . . . why not distribute the land under the community mortgage program that's only ₱500 a month? Why don’t you want that?” she insisted to inquire with raised eyebrows.