The city government here is coming up with an inventory of unused government lands suitable for shelter, following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that declared the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program as the administration's flagship housing initiative. Bacolod has partnered with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for the 4PH program. Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday there are a few properties in the city owned by the national government that could be included in the housing program. 'We will be submitting (a list). I will submit all the listings that we have, especially those with informal settlers for their (DHSUD) proper disposition,' Benitez said in a press briefing. The mayor said he has asked the City Assessor's Office to provide him with the list of the identified government-owned properties. Under Executive Order (EO) 34, the President directed national government agencies (NGAs), LGUs, and other government entities to provide full support and cooperation to the DHSUD. The DHSUD is tasked to identify and develop national and local government lands that are suitable for housing and human settlements, including new townships and estates development, in coordination with concerned NGAs and LGUs. Benitez said some government-owned lands have been occupied by informal settler families for some time now but the issue could not be resolved since the concerned agencies have refused to give up the lands. 'This EO will now force the department to transfer all of these assets to the DHSUD to be made into a housing project,' he said. In Bacolod, among these agencies include the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Benitez said. In EO 34, President Marcos declared the 4PH as his administration's flagship program to ensure the success of the affordable housing initiative. He tasked the DHSUD as the primary government entity responsible for the management of housing and human settlements nationwide and will serve as the lead implementing agency of 4PH. The Chief Executive also mandated the DHSUD to make a recommendation to his office, through the DENR, to issue proclamations for the declaration of available public lands as alienable and disposable for housing and human settlement purposes
Source: Philippines News Agency
