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ABOUT HOUSING, CABLING ARNOLFO, corruption, HOUSING

EASTERN VISAYAS RDC WANTS SHFC REGIONAL OFFICE IN TACLOBAN

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TO STOP CORRUPTION IN YOLANDA HOUSING PROJECTS

The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) is pushing for the establishment of a regional office in Tacloban City of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) to supervise its housing projects in the region.

The RDC also wants the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to set up a regional office in the city, among cities ravaged by Super-typhoon Yolanda.

The RDC is pushing for the setting up of these two offices to eliminate corruption in the implementation of community-based housing projects and fast-track the issuance of clearances and licenses for housing activities.

Lawyer Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling is president of the SHFC, the lead agency implementing the government’s socialized housing program.

Lloyd Christopher Lao is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the HLURB,  the primary agency mandated to provide technical assistance in the preparation, review, and approval of Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) of local government units.

Eastern Visayas’ highest policy-making body sent the resolutions approved on June 21, 2019, to the Office of the President and to the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

But the RDC is still waiting for the central government’s response on the resolutions requesting for the establishment of regional offices of the two government agencies.

National Economic and Development Authority regional director Meylene Rosales, the RDC’s vice-chairperson, however said that they are upbeat on the positive response of the President Rodrigo Duterte and HUDCC chairman Eduardo del Rosario.

The RDC pushed for setting up of these two offices to eliminate corruption in the implementation of community-based housing projects and fast-track the issuance of clearances and licenses for housing activities.

“There was an issue raised on the alleged irregular collection of fees from the beneficiaries of the government’s permanent housing project implemented through SHFC. The major factor behind this was the absence of their field office here in the region to monitor projects,” Rosales said in a report in the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Early this year, hundreds of housing beneficiaries have filed cases against a community housing organizer and her accomplices for overpricing of land acquisition, non-remittance of payments, and illegal collection of fees from recipients housing projects funded by SHFC.

Meanwhile, the absence of HLURB regional office has slowed down the pace of housing projects due to the lack of personnel and absence of authority to monitor and resolve issues and approve plans and applications for clearances and licenses.

“RDC members agreed that the presence of a fully staffed HLURB and SHFC offices in the region is important to regulate and monitor the implementation of remaining Yolanda resettlement projects and other ongoing and future housing projects,” Rosales said.

The HLURB regional office in this city has stopped its operation in 2010 after the merger of two field offices in Cebu and Tacloban due to the implementation of the Government Rationalization Program.

The agency has been maintaining a desk at the Government Service Insurance System office in this city to answer public queries. All transactions from the region have to go through the regional office in Cebu City.

All development and constructions on land of towns and cities without the CLUP will have to get the approval of the HLURB office in Cebu.

As of 2018, only 85 percent of the region’s 143 towns and cities have approved CLUPs.

YOLANDA HOUSING
YOLANDA HOUSING PROJECT. An unoccupied housing project in Carigara, Leyte meant for super typhoon Yolanda survivors. The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) is pushing for the establishment of two state-run agencies to supervise housing projects in the region, including resettlement sites for Yolanda victims.
Business News, TOP NEWS

HLURB dumps P2.8-M suit vs. Davao businessman

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         The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) XI has dumped a P2.8-million complaint filed by a homeowner of the gated Insular Village Subdivision in Lanang, Davao City against Davao’s prominent Chinese family.

            HLURB 1I regional director R.M. Miguel T. Palma Gil in a February 8, 2011 order dismissed the complaint filed by Jason Huang, president of West Insular Village Homeowners Association, (WIVHAI), against businessman Uy Ching Siong and his Asaje Realty Corporation on grounds of technical flaw. Uy also owns the appliance store giant DIMDI.

            Taking the cudgels for the Insular homeowners, Huang asked HLURB to stop Uy from constructing structures that will connect their Insular lot to another they own in the adjacent Guadalupe Village.

            Huang said the Uy development placed security in Insular in peril on top of diminishing value of Insular lots.

            In his reply, Uy said Huang in his complaint was acting alone without resolution of the board of Insular Village homeowners.

            In his order, Palma Gil also said Huang failed to submit evidence under the rules on verification and certification of non-forum shopping, which failure was fatal to the case.

            While courts should, in all cases, endeavor to do substantial justice without undue subservience to technicalities, the mere invocation by the parties of liberality and substantial justice does not automatically do away with the rules laid down for the orderly administration of justice, said Palma Gil. ROGER M. BALANZA

CABLING ARNOLFO, City councilors, Duterte NEWS, HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, investment, News Environment, TOP NEWS

Residents fear landslides, massive floodings in Davao City housing projects

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Government agencies question Shrine Hills projects

By ROGER M. BALANZA

Two government agencies yesterday confirmed two high-end housing in Shrine Hills in Matina have not yet secured permits, as residents continue to fear landslides and floodings when developments are started.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau said it has not granted permit to Crown Commodities of Senator Manny Villar and DMCI-Urban Development Project of DM Consunji, as the bureau looks into the stability of the site at the eastern slopes of the hill.

No permits

MGB regional director Edilberto Arreza said he has yet to receive a geological hazard study from Crown and DMCI—each developing a 30-ha project—that would ensure against landslides. Already, residents of several subdivisions in the Maa area below the hill had complained of massive flooding after the developers constructed spine roads and started ground-leveling works.

The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) said it has sent out notices of violations to Crown and DMCI following complaints they were already selling the project to the public. HLURB regional director Roy Lopez also said the developers also have not secured any clearance from the local government.

The companies however have already submitted requirements to Engr. Mario Luis Jacinto, city planning and development coordinator, who has conducted technical conferences with Crown and DMCI officers.

No zoning clearance

Jacinto said the technical conferences are part of process as the City Planning and Development Coordinator reviews the application for Provisionary Approval for Locational Clearance (PALC) of the projects before endorsing it to the Davao City Council committee on housing chaired by councilor Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling

The Barangay Maa Federation of Homeowners Associations said Shrine Hills is landslide-prone and should be declared as protected area that would be off-limit to any kind of development.

Landslide-prone

MGB senior geologist Noel Angeles earlier said the eastern portion of the 300-meter high hill, site of the Shrine of the Holy Infant of Prague, is scene of an old landslide and that a study showed the area is prone to massive earth movement.

Angeles said it is due to this that MGB earlier was prone to declare the hill as conservation area to discourage housing projects in the area where earth movement and landslide is still possible.