MANILA — The government is tapping the support of the private sector in addressing the country’s housing need, the country’s chief economist said.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia pointed out that housing needs of the country remain a “challenge”, estimated totalling around 6.8 million units for 2017 to 2022, amid rapid population growth, urbanization and rural-urban migration.
“As of December 2016, we still have a housing backlog of more than two million,” he said Thursday night during the launch of joint venture company PHirst Park Homes Inc. established by the Century Properties Group Inc. and global business enterprise Mitsubishi Corporation.
Pernia, also director general of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said the housing sector launched last year the BALAI Filipino program, which stands for “Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive” Filipino Communities.
He said BALAI Filipino is the Duterte administration’s 10-year national housing program strategy to close the country’s housing gap with key shelter agencies working closely together.
“The program aims to improve the government’s efforts in addressing Filipino’s housing needs with the private sector playing a significant and pivotal role and this is exactly exemplifies by the sharing, by the cooperation between Century and Mitsubishi Corp.,” he added.
Pernia also lauded the joint venture firm for its target of delivering 20,000 homes annually by 2020, which he considered a “significant giant step in helping address the country’s housing problem.” (Leslie Gatpolintan/PNA)
