The National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) recently held the first of its three-legged 2019 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Baguio City attended by various local developers, cooperatives and stakeholders coming from the different provinces of Luzon.

With the theme “Everybody Deserves a Home and It Should Never Take Too Long”, the event aimed to encourage participation in the government’s various housing programs to reduce the gap in affordable housing.

“One of the things that should make the people residing in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) happy is that with the creation of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), we (the government’s Key Shelter Agencies[KSAs]) are now required to put up regional offices in all the regions of the country so the government can concentrate on working closely with the stakeholders and developers,“ Director Jeanette Cruz of the Housing and Urban Development (HUDCC) said during the event.  She also encouraged theparticipants to send their inputs and suggestions to HUDCC on how the Department can be a more effective and responsive organization.

She further stressed that“DHSUD will strengthen the integration of the roles, functions, programs, and services among the KSAs and the Department.  In effect, the turn around time for all housing transactions will be significantly reduced.” 

Mr. Rodel Leocario of NHMFC’s Strategic Relations and Marketing Department, highlighted the corporation’s core programs – the Housing Loan Receivables Purchase Program (HLRPP) and Socialized Housing Loan Take-out of Receivables (SheLTeR). HLRPP provides loan facilities for middle income sector with loan value up to Php3 million while SheLTeR targets low-income sector with loan value up to Php750,000.00.

In a separate interview with NHMFC President Dr. Felixberto U. Bustos Jr, he said that “NHMFC’s essential role is to contribute to the reduction of the housing backlog in the country by sustaining the liquidity of the housing sector through a strengthened secondary market.” NHMFC is the government’s primary secondary mortgage institution.

Atty. Christopher Ryan Tan, President of Center for Housing and Independent Research Synergies (CHAIRS), who was among the speakers during the forum, said that this administration needs to accelerate production of houses to address the country’s housing gap and called on everyone’s involvement. While he applauded the creation of DHSUD, he also pointed out the need to include the stakeholders, such as the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers (OSHDP) and other real estate developers, in drafting the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the newly created department.

The forum also provided stakeholders the opportunity to present their different products that improve housing facilities while going pro-environment. Mr. Daniel Camacho, the local inventor of the Green Eco-Toilet System (GETS), presented his award-winning water conservation system; Mr. Mark Tan of Palmeco Industries who introduced the use of PalmEco Board material in building eco-friendly housing that is resistant to fire, water and termites, non-toxic and can last a decade; and Mr. Mark Son of Solar Philippines who presented their solar products and services that will help reduce electricity costs.  Also present during the event was Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board  (HLURB) Director, Atty. Jann Roby Otero, who talked about HLURB updates on policies and guidelines.

The next Regional Stakeholders Forum will be held in Cebu City on June 2019 and in Davao on September 2019.

_{NHMFC Communication Team}