The Way Forward For Housing

By CHARLIE A. V. GORAYEB

November 14, 2012, 4:11pm

True to its theme, “Global Filipino: Key to Conserving Growth Through Sustainable and Strategic Real Estate Development and Practices”, the 21st Annual CREBA National Convention held last October was one of the ways the organization hopes to fulfill its role in linking sustainable approaches to keep the industry’s impressive growth path.
Government promulgated R.A. 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA) primarily to encourage strong private sector support in the implementation of mass housing projects. This was to be done through the granting of incentives such as simplification of documentation and financing, one-stop-shop, and tax exemptions for engaging in socialized housing.
CREBA recognizes the need to strengthen UDHA, particularly on strategies to strengthen the local government units’ capacity in the delivery of housing services. There is a need to promote greater public-private partnership in the development of sustainable communities.
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CREBA likewise recognizes the need for the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to adopt a more pro-active stance and ensure that these incentives are availed by the private developers. That will be encouraged through the formulation of common guidelines in the implementation of Section 20 of the law and the granting of tax holidays for mass housing projects to address the huge backlog.
CREBA strongly supports the priority Housing Bills that are now pending in Congress, notably the creation of Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the proposed bill that would require housing developers to comply with Section 18 of UDHA. Those initiatives will surely promote efficiency which will lead to the increase of in-housing stock.
Hence, we urge HUDCC to call upon concerned government agencies to strictly comply with the specific provisions of UDHA and direct BIR to accept the Socialized Housing Certification issued by the HLURB. This will be made as the only requirement for the issuance of Certificate Authorizing Registration (CAR)/Tax Clearance (TCL) to the Registry of Deeds for housing developers.
We also urge HUDCC to complete the evaluation of the proposal to adjust the loan ceilings for socialized housing in light of recent developments and align this with the housing program of the Aquino administration.  We also urge to consider Socialized Housing Condominiums as alternative compliance to Section 18 of UDHA.
In addition, we urge the adoption of multi-tiered socialized housing price ceiling of up to P240,000 for the informal sector, up to P400,000 for the formal sector, and up to P850,000 for the medium-rise buildings or condominium units, provided they are located in urban areas.
Corollary to this, the increase of the price ceiling for low-cost housing from the current P3 million to P3.5 million for those who want to avail of income tax holidays of the BOI will be a welcome move. This will contribute to increase in housing units.
Government must finally adopt common guidelines and simplify procedures in the issuance of housing permits and licenses to avoid duplication of functions between HLURB and the local government units.
On real estate service practice, we urge the legislature to introduce amendments to the Real Estate Service Act (RESA) to address the number of sales agents to be hired by licensed brokers.
For its part, CREBA continues to strongly support and lobby for the immediate passage of the Bill that would create the Department of Housing to respond to the challenges of urbanization.
Just how well we can achieve our objectives shall be the measure of our collective will, and so I enjoin all our members and partners to rise to the occasion.