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House OKs bill on rental housing subsidy

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - Voting 255-3-0, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 9506 or the &quot;Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act,&quot; on third and final reading.The Committee on Housing and Urban Development explained in its fact sheet that the bill seeks to promote a just, equitable, and inclusive urban development and affordable accessible housing program and protect the urban poor from the impact of immediate dislocation due to eviction and demolition due to government projects while providing interim housing options for dislocated families due to natural and man-made disasters.Among others, the bill establishes a Rental Housing Subsidy Program that enables informal settler families (ISFs) to access the formal housing market and facilitate the temporary relocation of families who were displaced due to natural and man-made disasters.It also extends to eligible ISFs a flat rental subsidy rate of Three thousand five hundred pesos or Metro Manila and a rental subsidy rate to be determined by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for those living in all other regions.It also mandates that the rental subsidy shall not exceed the actual rent, provided that, at any time but not more often than once every two (2) years, such subsidy may be reviewed or revised by the DHSUD and NEDA to conform with the prevailing economic conditions.It grants the rental subsidy to eligible beneficiaries until the date of completion of the permanent housing project intended for them or upon their actual transfer to the permanent housing project, whichever comes first and mandates the agency implementing the permanent housing project to bear the cost of the extended rental subsidy.It also requires ISF-program applicants to vacate the informal settlement area they are currently occupying and transfer or relocate to a safer area to be eligible to receive the rental subsidy.It prohibits beneficiaries from moving or relocating back to the area in which they were originally living unless permitted by the proper government authorities and obliges them to pay that portion of the rent in excess of the subsidy.Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel voted against the bill.&quot;There’s legitimate worry that this initiative could pave the way for the demolition of communities under the guise of assistance,&quot; Manuel said.&quot;The current provisions of the Rental Housing Subsidy Program, particularly the flat rental subsidy rate of P3,500 and the conditions for continued entitlement or eligibility, raise significant issues. The allocated rental subsidy may not be sufficient to cover the prevailing rental rates, especially in Metro Manila and other regions, and the lack of clarity on the frequency of subsidy disbursement only exacerbates the uncertainty for Informal Settler Families,&quot; Manuel explained.&quot;The requirement for beneficiaries not to move back to the area they were originally living in is problematic because it does not take into consideration the fact that the poor have nowhere else to go. This restriction could potentially lead to the forced displacement of Informal Settler Families, contrary to the intent of providing housing support,&quot; Manuel added.&quot;The provision prioritizing beneficiaries with “good payment standings” in government housing programs also raises questions about the fate of those who are unable to maintain such standing due to financial constraints. There is a need to address the concerns of individuals and families who struggle to make ends meet, especially with the continuous increase in the prices of basic goods and low income of the target individuals and families,&quot; Manuel also said.The bill will be submitted to the Senate.

Voting 255-3-0, the House of Representatives approves House Bill 9506 or the 'Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act,' on third and final reading.

House OKs bill on rental housing subsidy

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House OKs bill on rental housing subsidy

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 12, 2023 07:52 PM PHT

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House of Representatives

housing

Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act

House Bill 9506

HB 9506

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