Office of the Vice President : Press Release

Ms. Ronadale Zapata
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VP Noli steps up ‘Squatter to Homeowner’ campaign

410 POOR FAMILIES GAIN HOUSING SECURITY OF TENURE IN TAGUIG
13 December 2005

“Kapag may tiyaga, May lupa.” VICE President and concurrent Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chairman Noli ‘Kabayan’ De Castro stepped up his campaign to turn informal settlers into legitimate homeowners as more than 400 poor families gained tenural security in Baranggay Tanyag, Bicutan, Taguig yesterday.

De Castro awarded transfer certificates of title (TCTs) to 21 beneficiaries who have fully paid their amortizations as well as certificates of title reservations to 389 beneficiaries who have yet to complete payments under the housing program facilitated by Executive Order no. 48.

EO 48, De Castro explained, identifies non-core properties of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), which are open for disposition for socialized housing. Other PNR properties are currently being identified for disposal with the railway families as beneficiaries, he added.

The Vice President said the government has been disposing idle PNR properties nationwide to serve the land requirements of the national housing program currently being implemented by HUDCC and the key shelter agencies (KSAs).

Last week in Sta. Ana, Pampanga, a total of 235 beneficiaries also received certificates of lot awards from PNR non-core properties, which are likewise covered by EO 48, De Castro bared.

Later in the afternoon yesterday, more than 20 beneficiaries from Manuguit, Tondo, Manila beamed as they finally received their long-awaited TCT from the HUDCC chairman.

A total of 21 families secured the lots they are occupying in Manuguit after completing payments under the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) of the Socialized Housing Finance Corporation, a newly created subsidiary of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation.

“Maagang pamasko ang mga lupaing ito para sa ating mga kababayan bagamat matagal nila itong inantay. Pero nagagalak na rin ako dahil sa pakikipagtulungan ng mismong mga benepisaryo sa pamahalaan ay napasakanila na rin sa wakas ang mga lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay,” De Castro said.

De Castro lauded local government officials from Bicutan, Taguig, Sta. Ana, Pampanga, and Tondo, Manila as well as the non-government organizations and peoples’ groups that partnered with HUDCC in pursuing the shelter thrust of the government.

“But most importantly, I thank the beneficiaries for working hard with all of us to make their dreams a reality. Sa halip na malulong sa kawalang pag-asa at panghihina ng loob, pinili ninyong gumawa ng paraan upang matugunan ang inyong problema. At sinagot naman kayo ng pamahalaan,” he said.

“This is why today”, De Castro said, “instead of saying kapag may tiyaga may nilaga, we might as well say: Kapag may tiyaga, may lupa.”

Ref. VPMEDIA 05-191