Office of the Vice President : Press Release

Refer to: Ms. Dale Zapata
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UN-HABITAT cites RP housing policy
23 September 2005

THE United Nations Human Settlements Programme, (UN-HABITAT) recently hailed the Philippine government’s policy on housing and urban development, citing the merits of its housing legislation and efforts to secure the shelter tenure of informal settlers.

In the June 2005 issue of the UN-HABITAT publication Habitat Debate, the Philippines was one of 12 countries cited for global best practices in housing. Also included were Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, Kosovo, Peru, South Africa, Russia, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States.

“The Urban Development and Housing Act of the Philippines shows how housing rights form an essential component of any urban development scheme and have been recognized as an essential component of good urban governance,” the article stated.

Furthermore, the Philippines’ implementation of UN-HABITAT’s Campaign for Secure Tenure, spearheaded by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) under the Arroyo administration, was cited as “a good example of the recognition of housing rights as a focus in policy formulation.”

The Philippine government, in cooperation with the Homeless People’s Federation of the Philippines (HPFP), the Urban Poor Colloquium (UPC), other Non-Government Organizations and People’s Organizations, key agencies and local government units, launched the Secure Tenure (ST) campaign on October 2002.

Following the launch of the ST campaign, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo began a massive disposition of idle government-owned land for socialized housing purposes through various proclamations.

The government also intensified the provision of shelter finance to the informal sector, particularly through the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), and strengthened its support for multi-stakeholder housing programs like Gawad Kalinga and Habitat for Humanity.

Vice President Noli De Castro, chairman of the HUDCC, hailed the inclusion of the Philippines in the UN-HABITAT report as “an affirmation of the effectiveness of the government’s housing and urban development policies, particularly in the last four years.”

“This administration has put a high priority on housing since day one, especially for the poorest Filipinos. Our task now is to sustain the momentum in the housing sector to benefit an even greater number of our countrymen who still do not have shelter security,” he said.