“Maayos na bahay para sa mga nangangailangan at disenteng buhay para sa ating mga kababayan.” This, according to Bahay Party-list Rep. Naealla Bainto Aguinaldo, is the rationale behind House Bill No. 3041 or the “Underprivileged and Homeless Citizens Resettlement Act” (UHCRA), a measure the lawmaker filed on Monday that would make amendments to the Republic Act No. 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), so that it is more responsive to and cognizant of the problems faced by homeless, underprivileged Filipinos––especially informal settler families (ISFs).
The former Department of Justice and Office of the President undersecretary said that since the enactment of UDHA 27 years ago, “issues regarding the implementation of this well-intentioned law have made it clear that it is time to make long-overdue amendments that will eliminate the gray areas and plug the loopholes that have hamstrung the UDHA’s ability to achieve its goals.”
“It is also necessary to update the UDHA’s provisions so that it is guided by international standards and conventions, particularly what the United Nations refers to as the right to adequate housing,” added Aguinaldo, a Chevening Scholar who obtained her Master of Laws degree, with distinction, from the Queen Mary University in London.
Among the several key amendments introduced in the Aguinaldo Bill are provisions that would: (1) ensure that socialized housing sites and resettlement areas have livable homes that have basic provisions such as water and power; (2) prioritize on-site and in-city resettlement and ensure livelihood for displaced beneficiaries; (3) provide clear guidelines and limitations with regard to summary evictions and demolitions; and (4) establish a single unified database for qualified socialized housing beneficiaries.
“Importante po dito na ma-establish natin ang kalidad ng bahay sa resettlement areas ng mga beneficiaries. The UDHA isn’t clear as to the provisions and facilities that should be available in these resettlement areas. We need a better UDHA to build better,” stressed the solon.
According to Aguinaldo, “that is why many beneficiaries raise issues concerning the houses they move into, such as the absence of basic services, inadequate roads leading to the resettlement sites, and substandard houses. This law hopes to address that and clearly define who is responsible for what.”
Under HB 3041, Section 21 requires socialized housing units built in resettlement areas to (1) be habitable homes with at least one window, one exterior door, an intact roof, an enclosed bathroom, and an adequate kitchen; (2) have access to safe drinking water; (3) have electricity and an adequate power distribution system that must be provided by either the LGU or the appropriate public or private agency; (4) have adequate sanitation, sewerage, and solid waste disposal systems; and (5) have access to roads and transportation facilities. Aside from these provisions, Aguinaldo said the UHCRA would also ensure that the UDHA is consistent with Republic Act 11201, which establishes the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
“Republic Act No. 11201 creates the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and sets it as the primary national government agency responsible for the management of housing, human settlement, and urban development,” said the lawyer.
“Given this, we have to reconcile the provisions of both laws for a more comprehensive and streamlined approach to addressing the housing issues and challenges facing the country. Ang goal natin ay maayos na bahay para sa mga nangangailangan at disenteng buhay para sa ating mga kababayan.”
